Falling Snow
by aadpeters23
Summary: Chaos rains down upon the divided realm of Westeros as the summer ends, winter begins, and the struggle for the Iron Throne rages on. A dead prince ravages the south, the north succumb to civil-war, and dragons roam the skies of Westeros once more. The game begins again, but who will sit the Iron Throne, who will win and who will die?
1. Prologue

**PERSONAL NOTES**: I am petrified to upload this story. I am terrified for many reasons: I know that George hates fan-fiction, he believe that all writers should use there own imagination to create a story, I'm afraid of what many people will say about my idea's and about my fanfic, but above all else I am afraid I am going to fail myself.

I want to be a excellent writer someday. I love to write and I think George is right. That's why I love to write short stories and just have fun and that will be my only reason for posting this today. I love to write and I want to have fun. I love the ASOIAF series and I can't wait for the **Winds of Winter **to come out and to read it, but I am beyond impatient and I just woke up one day and said "I wonder what will happen" from that I began to write down at least ten different idea's until I finally picked this one.

This is a post story to **A Dance with Dragons**, so if you haven't read the first five books or you simply watched the TV series Game of Thrones you are going to be lost and you will have a lot of Spoilers shoved in your face. Also, be warned that my story will not follow any form of order or time, I will mention time so you can feel like you know what will be going on, but I will simply be writing in the order I have already outlined. I will be touching on a lot of characters from Dany to Davos.

Another HUGE warning, my fic is rated M for many reasons: from violence to language but I refuse to dive into full-blown sexual content, I will not be graphic but I will say something along the lines of "…there night together had nothing to do with strategy or war, but of love, together they embraced one another until the morning fell upon them…"

One final note, my story will be focusing on everyone, from north to south, west to east. I want everyone to be apart of my story and I already have my plot written out and the list of names and POV I will be using. So be prepared you will be jumping around a lot.

So sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy yourself and don't think too much.

I want you to have fun.

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**The Song of Ice and Fire: Falling Snow**

By: aadpeters23

**Prologue**

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"_Dead!" _

The raven squawked as it flapped its wings and took flight into the gray pitch sky.

"_Dead!" _

The raven squawked the word over and over as it circled over the rivers and the trees.

"_Dead!" _

Its beady black eyes were focused on the river bank where hundreds of creatures had gathered. They were covered by the blankets of white snow and green pines. The raven squawked once more, but it folded its wings and aimed itself down. The black feathered beast drove down past the pines and opened its hideous wings and took flight amongst the legions of creatures.

The raven began to search once again. Its eyes darting back and forth from one creature to the next, but none resembled the creature whose shoulder he enjoyed so very much. The creature was a young man, a very stubborn, but kind man, who had always offered him food from his hands.

_"Snow!"_ The raven squawked as he took his place amongst the tree's and began to look at each face until he found the man. The raven was puzzled by how many had come to the river. The raven had seen men creatures before, big and hairy beasts, but never in his life did he see so many pretty things.

The men had called them many things.

"_Ugly"_

"_Bitch"_

"_Spear"_

"_Whore-Whore" _that name was spoken a lot, but names are wind.

Names mean nothing to the ears of a beast. All that had mattered to the raven was action. The raven's man was more than a man. He was a wolf, an honourable wolf, whom he derailed missed and had to fine. But his efforts were begging to prove pointless. There were only men and whores about the river bank and trees. No one was there not even his man's fat friend.

"_Snow!"_ The raven called out as he glided through the air until he came to a branch and stopped. Its legs grasped the edge of branched, perched high in the trees.

"_Snow!"_ The raven squawked as he looked down at the horde. The raven felt sick, and tired, as he looked at the face of every man wearing his colors.

They were neither crows nor men amongst the horde, they were cowards in black feathers, and the raven remembered them all for what they truly were. Fools who feared the change of day and the coming of night, they were unworthy.

Unworthy of their colours.

Unworthy of their names.

Unworthy of life.

Only two were ever truly worthy of the raven's colors.

The Bear and the Wolf and now the bear was dead, lying in the snow, his corpse frozen and walking about in the dark woods.

"_Dead!" _The raven squawked as hoped towards the edge of the branch and cast his gaze down upon the crowd as they began to put themselves into two columns. There were organized now. All of them moving to the side as if a force of wind came in-between them, and before long the raven saw what truly parted them.

There were seven of them.

In the front were three brothers, one who was old, empty of life and had hardened skin. His eyes were as black as the darkness and his hair was a tangle of black, silver, and white. He was an old man with a horrible scowl and face. The raven did not like him but his eyes looked tasty.

The two following him were his brothers, old men, with grey and white beards. One had a mauled face, a face bitten by steel now doubt, while the other man had a face mauled by the winter. He was shorter than the other two and was missing an ear and his nose had turned purple.

Those were ugly men.

Behind them marched two more, one was a man and the second a whore, a beautiful creature compared to most.

The old man was broad of shoulder and chest. His arms thick of muscle and his wrists were wrapped by golden bands that the raven loved. His hair was white, his beard long, and like his body his face was broad as well.

The whore was easier to look upon. It was very beautiful compared to most. Its hair was the same color as the olds man's golden braces. It was loose and draped across her shoulders.

A closer look at the woman gave the raven a small shutter and filled him with fear. It was her eyes that had frightened him, they were neither grey nor black, they were blue. It was a blue so deep that it reminded the beast of ice.

"_Snow!"_ The raven squawked as he watched three more walked down the column, two were big, one was small. Standing in the front was the ugliest beast the raven had ever seen among the whores. It was tall, thin, and it had the ears of a fox, both round and flushed with red. The whore also had eyes that were a deep pale and it had a sharp nose in-between them and just below that was a patch of hair. It was growing just above the whore's lips.

The raven also took note of the whore's fiery red rock. It was an odd shape and it had been placed its head. It appeared to be frozen fire and it was glimmering with red and orange, the colors of the men's fire. The raven took note of the two whores who came after the ugly whore. The taller, prettier one was walking to the ugly one's left and was just three steps behind her.

The raven took note that this beauty had been kissed by man's flame. Again the raven squawked in approval of the creature's tremendous beauty. The whore had long hair the color of burnished copper and fading flames, skin untouched by winter or snow, and it was all supported by its heart shaped face. The whore was also very small, compared to the others, and it walked with a certain grace that the raven had never seen before in his long life.

Finally the raven's gaze had been cast down upon the last creature walking to the ugly whores right. It was a small thing, a petty thing, with a black cloak covering its face. The thing was a child and that child had no defining features to speak of or share. Upon seeing this child did the raven noticed that all whores and men were wearing black.

Black.

It was the color of brothers and forgotten men, and only men on the wall wore the colors of crows and ravens.

_Why?_

The question had been repeated many times in the raven's head as hopped up and down the branch, looking for his man.

Moments later the raven took note of more creatures walking down the column.

There were too many to count, but they were all carrying something.

It was big, hollow, and something was inside of it.

"_Snow!" _The raven squawked as it opened its wings and dove towards the man lying in the hollowed out log.

The raven landed on his man's chest squawking as loud as he could. The raven wanted to see his man open his eyes and yell at him like he did before.

But his eyes did not open.

"_Snow!"_ The raven squawked again.

"_Snow!"_

"_Snow!"_

The raven's man did not wake or stir in his sleep, he remained still, while his brothers carried him off towards the river.

The raven began to pick at the boy's hands, his beak piercing his man's black leather gloves, but nothing happened the man did not wake or stir.

"_Snow!" _The raven squawked as the hollowed out log was placed in the river and he was brushed away by a simpleton in black. The raven had to fly away and sit upon a branch once more. The raven squawked and hopped along the branch as he looked down at his man, who was still lying motionless in the hollowed out log.

The man looked peaceful, it was a face that the raven had never seen before, and he was still wearing his black garments, gloves, boots, and cloak. Draped across his arms was a black banner, with no sign engraved upon it, and below the raven could see his mans steel claw.

The steel claw was wrapped and bound in its leather case and it was resting on the man's chest and his hands were wrapped around the steel claws end, with the white wolf staring into the grey sky.

The raven took flight once more and began to circle the hollowed out log and watched hundreds of men and whores approach the boat. Each had placed a flower, a stick of straw inside the hollow log and the raven noticed the tears drops falling in as well. Before long, the hollow log was filled with the stick, flowers and tears of every man and whore in the legion.

The Raven's man looked peaceful amongst the branch's and flowers; he did not stir nor awake from his endless sleep. His chest did not move when he breathed and his face did not twitch when he slept.

The man was no longer there, he was lifeless.

He was…

"_Dead!"_

The raven could feel the air grow colder and heavier with the rising wind.

Finally, at the end of all the three whores appeared each approach the boat and one by one they knelt before the lifeless man and uttered a prayer.

The ugly one was first; she approached the hollow log and simply looked down at the man. She did not cry nor did she mourn she just glared at the man and for a time the raven believed that the ugly whore would do something to desecrate the corpse.

But the raven was wrong as he watched the whore drop a flower into the man's log.

The little one was the second to approach. As she walked her knee's and legs would tremble and she almost fell when she kneeled in front of the log. The raven thought he heard the little whore say something, but he was wrong. The child simply dropped a flower into the boat and walked away from the dead man in a brisk pace.

The last one to approach the boat was the creature who had been touched by fire. She slowly approached the boat with her legs carrying her across the snow. The raven took note of the fiery whore's feathers. Unlike the rest of the whores and men this one was wearing red instead of black.

"_Dead!" _The raven screamed as he watched the fiery one knee in the snow.

The raven could see the fiery one's lips moving, whispering to the dead, and the raven was too far away to hear the words it was whispering. In the end the fiery whore bowed her head and rose and then it leaned into the log and placed its lips on the dead mans cold ones.

It was a queer sight to behold but everything men and whores did were queer. The world of men was a strange one, a stupid one, and all these men and whores were foolish of all.

They all know what they face.

Everyone saw what the raven see's everyday.

Winter is coming and it only brings death.

None of them are prepared for it.

The world of men is far too distracted and obsessed with their games but not Snow.

"_Snow!"_

"_Snow!"_

The raven's man had no love for the games of man. He only wanted to do his duty and guard the realms of men and his brothers, but now the snow had no brothers. The snow was gone and the raven mourned for his loss.

A deadly silence still lingered in the air until the raven watched the thorn step out from amongst the crowd and took his place in-between the two columns of men and whores.

"Today we have come together to honor the memory of our Lord Commander, a bastard of Winterfell, a turn-cloak, and a traitor's son" the thorn spoke with the voice of a vengeful man, a man with hatred buried beneath his black cloak. The raven knew this man to hard, bitter, and stubborn. He had always hated snow and it was obvious that death did not change that.

"He was a brother and like me I know many of you will miss him" a lie the raven told himself as he squawked.

"But his actions have brought destruction and chaos upon our Order, he brought shame to our Oaths, and he betrayed us. He betrayed his sworn brothers in the name of greed, lust, and power" the thorn was a liar; the raven will always remember the black thorn to be a liar.

"The commander is dead and with that death peace has returned to the wall, and we will not squander that peace" the black thorn slowly turned and knelt before the log and the dead man. The blackthorn slowly drew his blade and drove its pointed tip through the snow and leaned upon it as he spoke.

"In the name of Tommen of the House Baratheon, the first of his name King of the Andals And the First men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the realm" the raven began to squawk and scream in protest to the black thorn's words.

"I, Alliser Thorne, the nine-hundredth and ninety-nine Lord Commander of the Nights Watch, strip you of all you were and ever will be" a smirk crept across the black thorn's lips as he said those words. It was only then did the raven acquire a hunger for that thorn's eye; they were round and juicy and would fill the bird's stomach and keep it quiet for days. However, caution had out weight the beast's anger and hunger. So the raven silenced his anger and simply kept his distance as he watched the liar continue with his speech.

"Jon Snow, I excommunicate you from the Night's Watch. Your name will be stripped from our history, your deeds forgotten, and your name shall forever remain a curse upon the wall" the thorn rose to his feet and sheathed his sword.

"May the father above judge you justly and plunge you into the deepest of hells" with a mighty push of his leg the Lord Commander pushed Jon and his follow log out into the river and watched it slowly drift away. The raven felt the urge to fly out and meet with Jon and try to wake him from his sleep, but the bird was no fool, the raven remained in his tree and watched the new commander shout an order.

In half a heart beat two black brothers rushed out to meet their commander, one carried a torch and the other carried a black bow and quiver of arrows tied with goose feathers.

The commander took his bow and quickly notched an arrow and plunged its steel tip into torch light. The arrow caught the fire and in the blink of an eye the commander's string was pulled and then loosed. The flaming arrow arched into the sky and came crashing down into the river water.

"Again!" The commander shouted as a steward gave him another arrow. The blackthorn grabbed the arrow, notched it, and plunged its tip into the fire once again. The lord commander drew his string back and prepared to loose when the raven flew down and squawked "_Dead! Dead! Corn!"_

The arrow was knocked into the arrow and arched into the sky and then it plunged itself deep into the snow banks on the other side of the river.

"Fuck!" The commander swore as his stewards gave him another arrow and helped him light its tip. Soon the black thorn had released three more arrows until he had finally hit the hollowed log. In seconds the log was set ablaze and an evil smile appeared on the black thorns face.

As the raven watched the fire vanished behind the tree's that surrounded the river, and it was only then that the raven felt something inside of him break.

"_Winter is here_!" The raven squawked as fear squeeze his chest.

"_Winter is here!" _

"_The cold will swallow us!"_

"_The dead will kill us!"_

"_The Others have come!"_

"_Hope is lost! Hope is lost!"_

The madness of speech had overwhelmed the raven until it could remember that it was not a raven but a man, a broken man, who was buried deep beneath the earth with roots clutching at his body and soul to the tree above. In half a heartbeat the Three-Eyed-Crow opened his red eye and cast his gaze into the darkness that was all around him.

The darkness had always been a friend to the Three-Eyed-Crow. It was the one thing that sheltered him from the madness of the world above but now it would seem that he could no longer hide from the madness. The madness was coming to him now, deep in his burrow, and there was no way he could hide from it. Soon the crow would need to face the world again and he would either do that as a man or a beast.

Slowly the Three-Eyed Crow turned its head and cast its gaze down upon the broken boy that sat beside him.

'_He is broken too'_ the last greenseer whispered as he watched the young wolf dream his greendreams.

'_But he isn't broken like me'_ the red eye of the last greenseer looked down at the boy and at his broken, twisted, legs.

'_He still has the strength to carry on, while as for me,'_ the Last greenseer could feel a tear forming in the corner of his red eye, it had blurred his vision, and that's when the last greenseer felt himself being drawn into the days of old.

'_I will always stay broken from the madness' _the greenseer told himself staring deep into his past. He could see it all, the wars, the death, the love, and the joy. The dreams of the past had always haunted the greenseer but today the dreams were strong, and that's when he saw them. He saw the brother he loved, the brother that he hated, and the woman that he had always desired.

The vision ended and the greenseer found himself surrounded by the darkness once again, but the crow wouldn't be fooled, this was not his darkness. The crow was trapped in another dream. A hard chill suddenly brushed across what remained of the crow's skin and that chill was suddenly followed by a deathly cold.

The crow could feel his bones turning to ice as they walked about him.

They were quiet.

They were silent.

They were beautiful.

They are death.

The Other's had surrounded the greenseer in his dream.

The Other's were all shadows of the moon above, with their milky white skin shimmering in the darkness.

Their hair was white as the snow and as soft as a maiden's kiss as it blew in the wind.

And their eyes, eyes so cold, that it made it hard for the greenseer to breath.

So many of the Other's had surrounded the greenseer, beautiful things armored in shimmering crystals of blue and white, bearing thin diamond blades colder than winter itself.

'_Ice. That's all they are. They are ice and death, that's how they appear in the eyes of man'_ the crow told himself as he watched the sun rise in the distance.

He was having the same dream again, he noted.

'_How do we appear to them? Are we fire and life to the Other's?'_ the Three-eyed Crow asked himself as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, chasing away the shadows and darkness, and just below that sun was an army of men.

The crow could see thousands of men garbed in steel and iron and they were all marching towards the darkness.

'_The song of Ice and Fire' _the greenseer mumbled as the Other's mounted their dead horses and began to march off and meet their foes on the battlefield. In his dream the greenseer was forced to watch hundreds of thousands die at the hands of the Other's and there dead.

The west is covered by ice and snow and then the crow awakes from the nightmare and is reminded of his purpose in life.

'_The game must be put to an end if we are to live. I will find another!" _The Three-Eyed Crow quickly opened his third eye and slowly gave himself to the nature and let his essence become one with nature. Such is the power of the Last Greenseer.

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Thanks for reading everyone. If anyone liked to make a suggestion or comment on my writing please leave me a comment. Enjoy the rest of your day!


	2. The Stone Hand

**Notes**: Hello everyone, I pray that everyone is having a fantastic day. I would like to take this time to say thank you for viewing the second chapter to **Falling Snow**, a story that I hope everyone enjoys. If you have glanced at my profile you may know that I have written for a while and that I love to write. One day I would love to become a famous writer and to share my imagination and creativity with the word, but I need practice to meet my dream. I feel like FanFiction can help me with my dream because it has given me an audience and it can help me practice. I want a reader's feedback on my writing style, my tone of voice, my grammar (I have horrible grammar), and my overall presentation. I would love your opinion on my writing.

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**The Song of Ice and Fire: Falling Snow**

By: aadpeters23

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**The Stone Hand**

"He said he would do it and he did it!" Harry Strickland bellowed with laughter as he slammed his wine cup down upon the wooden table.

"By the Gods he truly is a dragon!" a copper skin archer cheered.

"Aegon, the Conqueror reborn!" a young squire belched.

"I say nay to that boy, Aegon had dragons and our king took this castle without those beasties!" a pot belly smith said as he tore a hunk of meat from a roasted turkey.

The squire suddenly appeared dazed and then he began to smile "By the seven he's right!" the squire shouted.

"He's not Aegon the conqueror he's Balerion, the Black Dread" the squire stood upon his table and began to chant.

"The Dragon King!" in the banquet hall of Storm's End. Hundreds of men joined in and began to chant along with the squire.

Dragon King!

Dragon King!

Dragon King!

"Aye, here's to his grace the King! May he lead our company to glory and our houses to honor!" Brendel Byrne laughed as he stood on top his Lord Connington table and began to chant along with his men.

_They are drunk on glory_ the gold griffins laughed as he watched Golden Company drink and be merry with one another.

The excitement became too much for the old man to bear however, and he had to force his way out of the grand hall of Storm's End and journey to the king's quarters.

As the griffin left the serjeant's of the Golden Company to their glory Jon became very curious as what the Golden Company was thinking.

_Did they even know what they won today?_ Jon asked himself.

By all means Storm's End was a marvelous castle decorated with beyond merriment and well guarded against raids and attacks, but if the men were to know the truth it may ruin their knight.

When Aegon stormed the castle and breeched Storm's End with his army his grace won much more than gold, hostages, or food.

The Golden Company had conquered the Stormlands.

Aegon had conquered a country.

This castle was the heart of the Stormlands, the seat of the fabled Storm King's and the birthplace of House Baratheon.

From here Aegon could rule and lead but not without challenge of course, Lord Connington would not fool himself into believing Aegon's campaign would be an easy one.

But perhaps it would be.

So much has changed since Jon had left his home, and even more has changed since his return.

The seat of House Baratheon no longer belonged to the royal stag or the lion.

The castle was conquered and in the hands of the Golden Company and its king.

Dragon King" Jon mumbled to himself.

It was very odd to call a man a dragon.

Men are blood bottled in flesh while dragons are fire sheltered in flesh.

Aegon could not fly nor breathe black flames but the boy was a Targaryen, the blood of the dragon and his grace is the son of Rhaegar, the Last Dragon.

Perhaps such a think is not to far fetch. If none would believe Aegon to be a dragon they will soon see for themselves.

The prince was a dragon and he would bath the world in Fire and conquer it with blood.

As Jon left the grand hall he could feel joy and pride building inside his old heart.

The boy did more than any man could ever imagine.

While others would have charged the gate and waste resources on siege weapons or open war, the boy took to the rear of Storm's End and took the castle unawares.

The fabled castle fell to the dragon's will and he did it with very little loose.

For half a heart-beat the old knight couldn't believe he even doubted his prince.

Everything Aegon accomplished went beyond his imagination and the old lord was grateful he had lived to see the Aegon's accomplishments.

"Your grace this is out of the question!" Jon immediately stood, his boots pounding against the stone and looked his grace in the eye, an infamous glare Young Griff had received during his childhood.

"I refuse to put your life at risk, your grace" Jon barked as he softened his glare on Aegon and lowered his voice, so he may not offend the young prince.

"Of all the men gathered here you are the only one who matters" Jon said as he looked across the table at the young Targaryen, who remained ever patience and observant as he listened to Lord Connington.

"Without you our cause, your father's dreams, will be in vain. I say again your grace; I refuse to put your life at risk!" Now Jon felt as if he was speaking to his son again.

Not Aegon the prince, but Young Griff, the boy who sailed with him upon the _Shy Maid_.

"Lord Connington," the prince began to speak with a very calm voice and very patience domineer that reminded Jon of Aegon's father and his mother.

"I acknowledge your council and accept it with an open mind and heart, but I believe you are wrong" the prince said very calmly he put his arms behind his back and stood as a proper gentlemen.

"There are over five thousand men in our company as of now" Aegon said ", and each of them are more important than I" Jon was taken aback by that statement.

"Yes I admit that I am a prince and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but I am still just a mortal man I am neither Dragon nor a god" Aegon said. "I am not better than any other man here. We are all equals and each of us has something to loose if we fail"

_Where is this coming from?_ Jon asked, _He is a prince of course he is better!_

"Your grace I don't understand your meaning? You speak as if you are a commoner!" Jon was baffled by the young prince and could not understand why he was belittling himself in such a manner.

"Your grace, you are the prince of the Seven Kingdoms; the rightful heir to the Iron Throne" the old knight could feel his temper slowly rising. He was not angry at the prince but he was lost and confused.

"Fire and blood flow through your veins. You have every right to rule!" angry flashed in the young prince's eyes. Something Jon had said had infuriated the boy and the old griffin could see it.

"I have no right!" the boy yelled as he suddenly rose to his feet and looked down up his mentor and protector.

"I have no right to the Iron Throne! If people start saying that of me then I am no better than any of the would-be-kings!" Jon refused to stand for this. He met his grace on the other side of the table and looked the boy directly in the eye when he spoke.

"But you are the king!" Jon roared. The boy and the old knight were of a height but Jon still stood a few inches taller than Aegon.

"I am a stranger" Aegon said frustration emanating from his voice and eyes.

Tension rose in the room as the lord and prince yelled at one another. Only the loyal duck appeared calm as he watched the dragon and the griffin face off against one another.

"Thousands believed me dead and many still do. In this realm I am nothing more than a puppet on a banished lord's string!" Jon finally knew where Aegon was going with his words.

He would push the lord into letting him lead the assault on Storm's End but Lord Connington would not hear of such things.

"So you mean to prove to the realm that you are Aegon Targaryen, the conqueror reborn, by taking back what is rightfully yours. Very admirable but ultimately foolish idea. This will be our downfall, your grace" Lord Connington would have continued his lecture but when the griffin watched Aegon take a deep breath and calm himself the old knight knew he should follow suit.

"No, that was never my intention" Aegon's face became a complicated combination of wisdom and patience when spoke.

"Fire and blood are the words of my house and those were the very words that forged the Seven Kingdoms" Aegon broke off his gaze from Lord Connington and approached the map of the Seven Kingdoms that hung above Lord Connington's fire pit.

The prince gazed at the map and slowly became entranced by it.

Jon waited for Aegon to return to him but the young prince couldn't pull his eyes off the portrait.

Duck, the first of Aegon's loyal kingsguard slowly approached the prince and touched his shoulder. Aegon didn't appear startled by Duck's touch but Aegon quickly regained his composure.

His grace turned back to the griffin and again he spoke very calmly, as if he were speaking to a beast that would sooner kill him than listen.

"The realm has bled for far too long Lord Connington," Aegon said as he slowly approached Jon "and I refuse to let it continue. My reason's for leading the assault on Storm's End has nothing to do with glory or honor" Aegon looked down at the map that Lord Connington had placed on his table. It was a map of the Storm's End and its surrounding area's.

"I refuse to let the realm bleed anymore. I will win back the throne of my father's father but I will not do it by bathing the world in blood" Jon suddenly saw Aegon as a child again.

_The little fool_, the old knight told himself as he looked at Aegon.

_He actually believes that he can win this war without bloodshed but he is wrong. Only fire and blood can prevail here, not a child's foolish dream. _Jon Connington took a deep breath and slowly let the air in his chest out.

"Your grace how do we take a castle without spilling blood?" Jon asked believing he had somehow tricked the boy into admitting he was wrong.

"By going around and below and," Aegon said as he placed the tip of his index on the edge of Storm's End and on the ocean "by walking through the front door" confusion and headaches seemed to be the only response Lord Connington would receive from his prince this day and Aegon could see Connington's frustration building up.

"Allow me to elaborate then" Aegon said as he drew the dagger at his belt and drove its tip into the map, much to Jon's frustration, but the old knight held his tongue and allowed Aegon to speak.

"Below the cliff of Storm's End is a hidden passage that leads to an underground harbor and above that is the castle" Aegon said as he withdrew his dagger.

"That gate is wide enough and big enough to sneak in one hundred of our finest men into the castle and take it before day break" Aegon's plan was interesting, Lord Connington had to admit that much, but the boy was wrong.

Lord Connington knew of the secret passage and knows beyond a doubt that it will be bard and locked from the inside. Without those gates open their men would be smashed by the waves.

There was another problem as well.

The shore of Storm's End would slash and crush any ship that came near it.

_Only Lord Onion was able to make his way through those rocks, but he's not the only smuggler in the realm_, Connington thought to himself as he began to think of three men in the company could easily sail beyond such ferocious waters; however there was still a matter of the gate and choosing the smuggler for the voyage.

"What of the gate's below your grace? Surly you thought of this" and from his smile Jon knew that Aegon thought of this problem.

Aegon went on to explain to Jon that he had ordered Lysono Maar, the company spymaster, to deploy his mummers into the Stormlands upon there arrival in Westero's and after two days the company received a message from Storm's End.

"I have the letter here with me if you would like to read it" Aegon pulled the envelope from a hidden pocket inside his shirt and placed it in lord Connington's right hand.

The old lord quickly pulled his hand away hoping to spare his prince the curse of the gray.

Jon quickly opened the letter and began to read, but the words were scribbled in the foreign tongue of high Valyrian.

It took Jon a while to decode the message and then read it.

The letter spoke of three men infiltrating the castle and that each transformed themselves into commoners, who were coming to enjoy the feast that was being held in King Tommen's honor and to celebrate a plentiful harvest.

The writer went on to specify that Storm's End had abandoned King Stannis claim to the Iron Throne but remain neutral in the over all war.

However, they would pledge their fealty and honor to King Tommen in return for peace and stability. The writer went onto to specific that he had heard a rumor that the crown was recently searching for a new house to proclaim as the new Lord and Protector of the Stormlands.

A smile appeared on Jon's face.

Storm's End would be flooding with offerings, Lords and Ladies, and gold.

Every Lord and Lady in the land will bring whatever they can in order to bribe the crown in exchange for the right to rule.

Jon began to imagine what it would be like to storm the castle and bring justice to every lord who had betrayed the crown. Jon would take back what is rightful Aegon's and give return Justice to those who wrong him in his past.

Finally Jon read the last the letter and was delighted to read that the three noble houses Dondarrion, Foote of Nightsong, and Swann from the Stormlands were the first to arrive at the banquet.

However they did not come alone. Each house had been escorted by one hundred household guards, and as the griffin continued to read he was shocked to hear that House Caswell, of Bitterbridge, and House Beesbury, of Honeyholt, were coming to the feast as well.

_What mummers these lords are, _the old griffin told himself as he looked the letter over again, _they will come and they shall play their games while we strike and stab each in their back._

"Is this your plan then? You're going to sneak in a few men, dressed as commoners, and have them take the castle" Lord Connington could see the pride emanating in Aegon's eyes and he could understand why.

Instead of taking the castle by storm and with blood the Golden Company would sneak in and take the castle by surprise. Not only would the castle fall but Aegon would gain hostages, gold, and food for his cause.

It would be bold plan, a dangerous one, but if it was to work it would save the company a great deal of men and it would win Aegon the Stormlands.

In six days Aegon ordered a single ship, with one hundred of his finest warriors, to set sail from Griffin's Roost and make way for Shipwreck bay and in four days Aegon dawned his dragon armor and lead three thousand spears to Strom's End.

Rain and sleet had slowed the company and their horse but on the fourth day the Golden Company fell upon Storm's End, like a fabled storm, and took the castle in one fell swoop.

The enemy was unprepared for such an attack.

The Golden Company immediately stormed the castle and took hostages in the great hall while a few men opened the gate. In that moment Aegon ordered the attacked and charged off to battle with his army.

The enemy threw themselves against the Golden Company but they were quickly overwhelmed, cornered, and died.

At first a few struggled but with hostages the few remaining castle guards quickly yielded to Aegon in exchange for their lives and the lives of liege lords.

The spoils of war were quickly taken by the company and shared among those who were left to freeze outside the castle.

In ten days Aegon did something no man had ever done, he took Storm's End; he took the Stormlands and he lived to tell his tale.

The boy was dead and the man was born.

Jon knew this but the old knight knew one victory did not make a man conquer.

His grace still had much to do, much and more, and only when his grace has taken the Iron Throne will the knight finally be at peace.

On the fourteenth day, at sunrise, Lord Connington was requested to meet his grace in the castle's solar. Jon Connington quickly ventured to his chambers and dressed in the colors his house, a red and white jerkin, worn over a silver doblete, with red trousers to cover his legs. Lord Connginton looked like a lord again, but the clothes felt uncomfortable without his sword belt and dagger belted at his side.

After climbing so many stairs Lord Connington finally reached his graces chambers and was greeted by Ser Rolly Duckfield or Ser Duck for short, at the king's door.

"My lord" Ser Duckfield inclined his head and placed his arm across his chest as he bowed to Lord Connington "His grace awaits you in his chambers. You may enter" Rolly Duckfiled said as he opened the door for Jon.

Jon thanked Ser Duckfield and entered Aegon's royal chambers and found his grace standing by a table piled with maps, papers, and scrolls.

A cup and a golden pitcher were in the prince's hands and the lord of Griffins Roost watched his lord pour himself a single cup of wine. To many this action would seem normal or pointless but to Jon it meant something more.

_The boy is gone, left behind on the Shy Maid, and now standing right before me is a true Targaryen Prince, the rightful ruler and heir to the Iron Throne, _the old knight felt nothing but pride for the boy at that moment. For a future King to pour his own wine was unheard of but Aegon did it without complaining or command. The boy did it himself and again then the old griffin felt pride and a touch of sadness.

_Those days are gone and the boy is dead_, he told himself as he looked at Aegon.

Old memories began to surround the old knight as he began to recall each day he had spent with Aegon, not the prince of the Seven Kingdoms, but his son young Griff; the son who had come to love as his own.

Ever since the boy could walk Jon had trained, tutored him, and guided the prince down what he believed to be the right path.

Once, Jon Connington had doubted what he was doing and began to wonder if he should have simply taken Aegon as his true son and raised him in place that would make him happy and provide him with a bright future. That thought was immediately pushed away when Aegon had accomplished what so many other could not. The prince took Storm's End, he showed mercy when other men would not have, and the prince was hard at work struggling to better his cause.

At that moment the old lord knew he had done right by Prince Rhaegar's son.

Jon would miss his son though; he would miss that boy more than anything.

Even though they were not of the same flesh there was still a bond between the two of them, the young dragon and the old griffin, but as Jon told himself before those days were gone and young Griff was dead and the dragon had been reborn.

Lord Connington cleared his throat as he lowered himself down onto one knee. "Your grace has summoned me" Jon said as he listened to Aegon place his cup upon his table and help Lord Connington to his feet.

"Thank you for coming and yes I am in need of your council" Aegon had gestured for Lord Connington to join him at his table but as the old griffin approached Aegon's table he noticed that his prince was only drinking lesser wine and he drank it with black bread and a bowl of brown.

"Your grace, I could have something of better quality brought to your chambers" Jon inspected the food, neither bread or bowl were spoiled and its preparation appeared somewhat similar to military provisions.

"I am at peace with what I have. The heavier foods doesn't settle well with me," Aegon said as he put his cup down upon a small table and drew his foster father's attention to a map of southern Westero's "and ignore that for now we need to make preparations for our next advancement" lord griffin noted Aegon's eagerness and ferocity as he spoke.

"Our scouts have informed me that a few of castle guards still elude us and Balaq warned me that a raven is missing from the Maester's courters" Aegon did not sound pleased of that but his anger did not show.

Jon began to reflect on his advancement into the castle, it was utter chaos at Storm's End, none of the castle lords expected such an attack and all their men were taken by surprise.

No one had time to so much as notch a bowstring or draw their swords and that alone had secured the Golden Companies hold of the castle, but a mistake had been made and Lord Connington would rectify that mistake.

"Your grace, it would be my honor to tack these men down. I will assemble a" Jon Connington was cut off by Aegon as he raised his hand as if to keep Jon from moving forward.

"At ease my friend, I am pleased to see that you are willing to help but I have already deployed a group to find these men, but as of now I need words not swords. Please come and look at this" Aegon extended his courtesies to lord Connington by offering him to stand by him as they overlooked the map.

"Our site is an ideal one, just as you predicted, our forces have the advantage by sea and by land. The gold we found in the vaults is more than we had ever predicted and we have food to last ourselves an eight year winter, but I fear it won't be enough" Jon glanced at the map and took note of the map and stone figures that were placed upon the map.

There were red roses, golden skulls, orange spears, and golden stages stacked all across the map. By tradition each figure would represent an enemy force and by the position of each figure Lord Connington could see that their army was surrounded.

"We have been receiving reports from our scouts and spies since our landing at Griffins Rost and at Strom's End and their news troubles me my lord. We have enemies all around us and have too many unknown variables" Aegon reached for two of the golden stags and placed one on the outskirts of Nightsong and the second on Blackhaven, both stood hundreds of leagues south-west of Storm's End and west of Crow's Nest.

"Griffins Rost informs us that four hundred men-at-arms marches towards them waving the lightning bolt of house Dondarrion and behind them marches the two swans of house Swann, and they stand five hundred strong" Aegon said as he picked up a third golden stage and began to look into his dark golden eyes.

_Dark wings, dark words. His grace finally understands that he cannot save all his men from bloodshed_, Lord Connington began to pity his prince again. Prince Aegon had believed he could win his war without shedding blood but now he understands that he has no choice.

"And to the west march's Lord Foote's men, we have yet to receive any word of their numbers, but like the others they march to Storm's End to save their beloved lords" Aegon placed the third stag on the outskirts of Bronzegate.

"Before long the Lord of Tarth will set sail to save his Knight's and niece, the Bucklers will march to save their Lord and Lady, and soon enough House Rowan will march from the Reach to save there beloved Lord. I have no doubt that our men at Crow's Nest can withstand the attack but I have doubt's on their provisions" Aegon placed his elbows on the oaken table and began to stare at the many castles and villages that were surrounding his new castle.

"However, there are better words to fall back on" a small smile appeared on Aegons lips.

"The last of our ships have arrived. We stand nearly ten-thousand strong again and we hold Cape Wrath" Jon was surprised and pleased to hear such great news.

"I have received riders and ravens from all our generals, we now hold Stonehelm and Felwood. I've also received a rider in the night informing me that the Lord of Broad Arch kneels to his new rightful Lord and Protector" Aegon said as he began to carefully place ten golden skulls on the southern coast of the Stormlands.

Jon made a gruff sound when he heard of Broad Arch; it was the seat of House Staedmon, a house once filled with talented fighters and knights. Times had changed House Staedmon however; Lord Alesander Staedmon was no warrior or a proper fighter. The old fool was a frail man with a mind for gold rather than war.

"The Staedmon are a pathetic house, your grace. They have no honor and are greedy to the bone. I believe they would sooner betray you than give you their aid" Lord of Griffins Rost vented his truth as he began to imagine what plots Lord Alesander would conspire against his future king.

"I have heard the same" Aegon chuckled.

"Haldon informs me that the Staedmon lost there warrior's blood when the married there house into House Spicer of Castamere. Now they are nothing more than traders with a bankers mind, but I believe we can put there house to good use while keeping a close eye on them" Aegon explained while taking another sip of his wine.

"Then our advancement was successful, the Golden Company has its hold on the region and we can properly defend ourselves from attacks from the north and the west" Jon said as he noted the placement of each skull on the map.

Three were placed on Storm's End and three were covering Broad Arch, Stonehelm, and Felwood.

The remaining four skulls were covering the other holds and castles in Cape Wrath: Rain House, Crow's Nest, Mistwood, and Greenstone.

"Yes, for the moment we appear to have our hold but it won't be long before we each march off to war again and waste more of our resources" Aegon suddenly appeared worried.

"At my behest, I have commanded each of our serjants to hold each castle and begin preparations to advance north. Our enemies will be closing in on us soon enough and we need to be prepared" Aegon said as he moved the statues of Golden Stag closer to Griffins Rost and another close to Broad Arch.

There was a moment of silence as the Aegon moved his statues and once done Aegon turned and looked at Jon, who remained ever still and calm.

"Lord Connington my reason's for summoning you hear have to do more with the art of diplomacy than warfare" Aegon had begun to pour Lord Connington his own cup of wine while the griffin began to scratch his chin in frustration.

"I know this seems odd but as my Hand you will speak with my authority. I cannot ask anyone else to do this except you" Aegon placed the cup by Lord Connington and took his seat once more, watching the old lord reach for his own cup with his left hand and take minor sips.

"I would like to inform his grace that when it comes to diplomacy I am lacking in certain skills. Give me a sword and I will take a castle for you but if you let me use my tongue I will surely falter" the griffin began to feel uneasy again and began to feel his temper rise as well, it was as if he were back in his solar at Griffins Roost yelling and arguing with Aegon about his war plans.

"I doubt that tremendously my lord and you doubt yourself so often Lord Jon. Was it not you who won me the Golden Company all those years ago?" Aegon asked with a smile on his face, his polished white teeth flashing before him.

_That only happened because I was friends with the commander and I had help_, Jon was nothing short of a knight. He could fight, he could ride, and bolt arrows on a crossbow but the old lord could not negotiate. Lord Connington would have to refuse but he would never dare defy his graces commands.

"My lord I am asking a great deal of you, this I know, but I am asking for your help. If what I say conflicts with you I promise we will find another way" that's all Jon could ask for from the prince but in the end Aegon was demanding more of him than he could offer. The prince had devised a plan to meet each enemy force on the open field to parley and discuss terms of allegiance and surrender, if need be.

"On the field I believe our men will win each battle five times over but I would prefer to conserve our soldiers and win these men over to our sides" Aegon finished as he took another bite of his bread.

"Your grace, I believe these men will yield to you in time but not without gold and promises. We have hostages and we could use them to force there immediate surrender" Lord Connington refused to abandon the blunder of Storm's End to the traitors of house Targaryen.

"If we return the gold, food, and hostages we will lose what hold we already have" Jon began to pray for the Crone to give his prince wisdom and for the Warrior to harden his heart.

_This is folly, I can't allow the prince to do this,_ Lord Connington told himself but before the lord could speak he watched Aegon pull four scrolls from beneath his map and place them before Lord Connington. The old lord took the gesture and began to read each scroll.

Each scroll was written by Aegon's hand and each held the terms for surrender and allegiance.

"Lord Connington, we have a great army standing out our backs but I will not leave it to chance. We are out numbered here in our homeland and we will need allies during our time here" Aegon's tone suddenly became darker, colder than any winter Jon had felt before.

"I will return only a fraction of the gold and food to these men and only one hostage to each household in return for loyalty, fealty, and blood" Jon was starting to see a new side to Aegon, a side he never seen before.

"Five of our most trusted Serjants will march out with two hundred men at there heel's. Each will meet with one of these companies and will return to them the food and gold they had brought to the banquet, as a sign of good will on our part" Lord Connington could see where his grace was leading this conversation.

"After the signing of the treaties a single hostage will be returned, but if peace is met with blood then blood we shall be returned. The hostage will be hung, our enemies will be crushed, and we take back what is ours" Aegon placed his cup on the table as a wave of quilt washed over him.

"Do you believe that we will prevail, your grace?" Jon Connington had asked as he placed the last scroll on the table and looked his prince in the eye, those purple eyes that screamed with doubt, fear, and eagerness.

"I do" confidence suddenly beamed in Aegon's eyes.

"For far too long these lands have bled. Men have grown tired of war and each long for a strong ruler" Aegon approached the balcony that looked over the ocean.

"Not a false one that abandons his faith and men to be ruled by a boy king and his mother. I am the blood of the dragon and I will guide my people" Aegon finally began to speak like a true Targaryen once again.

"If this is your wish then I will do it. Without question or conflict I will help you my king" Lord Connington rose to his feet and kneeled before his future king.

Again, Aegon ordered Jon to his feet and had a serious look upon his face.

It was a stern and strong face and remained the same as he spoke "I ask for nothing more my loyal friend, but the task ahead of you will not be an easy one" Jon knew he would not fail his prince and quickly bowed his he head and crossed his left arm across his chest.

"Speak and it shall be done" Jon said as Aegon extended a beautifully trimmed peace of paper into his left hand.

"Lord Connington, rightful hand of the king, I place before a great task that only you can meet. You will travel south with Lorimas Mudd, together you will treat with the two houses, Dondarrion and Swann, and win them to our cause and after that you will travel to the marsh lands one of our hostages, Mathis Rowan, and trade him over to the Dornish while breaking bread with a princess" that's when Jon look down at the paper and realized that Dorne had answered his call.

_She comes by the Sea._

_Wait and we will answer._

_Dorne Remembers._

_Prince Doran of House Martell. _

A map had been drawn beneath the letter and revealed where Lord Connington and House Martell would meet in Wyl.

_I will not fail the son,_ Lord Connington told himself as he squeezed his right hand into a fist and felt that he could no longer feel his right hand.

The gray was still spreading.


	3. Cersei

**The Song of Ice and Fire: Falling Snow**

**By: aadpeters23**

* * *

**Cersei I**

* * *

The day had finally come.

After seven days and seven nights the day of trail begins.

The fallen queen could feel a knot being tied in her stomach; she could feel her tongue swelling in her mouth and felt furry building in her heart.

The lioness had been de-clawed and muzzled by the Faith, her noble house, and her uncle.

_May the traitor fall into the deepest of hells and never return _the queen thought to herself as she stood in place, while her chosen hand maidens dressed her. The gown that had been chosen for her was plan and simple, an elegant white with a blue trim, and scarf as white as snow had been tied around her bald scalp and as Cersei Lannister stared at her reflection in her mirror she felt utter disgust for those who had ruined her.

'_My dear uncle'_

'_My Incompetent twin and demonic brother' _

'_The Tyrell's and the little whore Margaeary' _

Each of them had been responsible for the queen's demise and her undoing.

Long ago, Cersei was considered the most beautiful woman in all Seven Kingdoms and no one could ever compare to her beauty. Men would grovel at her feet and bend to her will; all were loyal only to her and her cause.

She was a Goddess among mortals.

But now that was all a dream from the past.

The beauty from the rock was now considered a peasant, a common woman who aged and sagged, and she no longer held power or was even considered a queen.

'_But I am the queen!'_ Cersei told herself as she gazed at her reflection.

'_I am the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms no one else has that right!'_

However, there is one who would steal that right from the Queen and her precious king.

She has had her fangs in the king for far too long and her loyalty to the Iron Throne remains in question or at least it had.

Seven days ago Queen Margaeary began her trial by the seven and after seven days and seven nights the faith deemed her case unlawful and she was given Gods Pardon.

Cersei had failed in her plots as there was not enough evidence to condemn the young rose.

Maester Pycell word against the queen might have been enough. The old master was the fool who gave the bitch her moon-tea, but now the maester was dead and every eye witness that had been brought before the faith had gone mad thanks to the mistreatment of Qyburn.

_'Damn him as well'_ Cersei thought.

Qyburn had only one duty and he failed it.

Now the rose is free to rule as Queen and misguide Cersei's son. The anger in Cersei knew no end and soon the world would know her wrath.

"You look radiant your grace" a servant of the faith exclaimed as she helped the queen into her golden slippers and fur cloak.

"Thank you" those were the only words Cersei could mutter, if she said anything more than that she would condemned herself to a prison.

A false smile had appeared on the fallen queen's face as she stepped out of her chamber and was greeted by three of the Warrior's Sons and four of the Poor Fellows.

"Milady, we are honored to escort you to the Sept of Baelor" an unattractive knight, with curly red hair, said as he glared down at Cersei with utter disgust and taste.

_'The rumors are starting'_ Cersei told herself as she began to imagine the lies that were being told about her, and of course she heard most of them.

On the fourth day of Margaery's trial Tommen told her a lie.

"You betrayed her!" the young king screamed.

"You were going to kill her!" Cersei was growing tired of the boy's tantrum.

"Tommen listen to me!" Cersei screamed as Tommen threw a bowl of beets at her; the wooden bowl barely touched her.

"They are lying to you! They are all lying to you I didn't try to kill her!" the boy king's eyes were red with tears and snot was dripping from his nose.

The poor king's vision of his mother had been shattered that night when he heard Ser Osney Kettleblack, of the Kingsguard, confessed to his crimes of his fornication with the queen regent, of the death of the last High Septon, and to his lie of bedding Queen Margaery.

"No-no-no-no! You lied, you've been lying to me this whole time!" Tommen began to make hiccup sounds as he cried.

"You tried to kill he- *hic* her and-and you betrayed father" Tommen cried.

'_My poor son'_ Cersei thought as she watched her son call the guards to take his mother from his sight.

_'I will save you from her, I will save you from that whore's grasp and make you a true king just like Joffery was'_ Cersei told herself as a Tyrell guard and Lannister guard dragged her back to her chambers.

Cersei had not seen his grace since then

The High Sparrow had pardon Ser Osney of his crimes and allowed the traitor to choose his faith, and like all cowards he took the black and now the damn fool will live his days out on the frozen wall.

"Thank you Ser. My life is in your hands" Cersei gave another fake smile and bowed to the rainbow knight as he turned his back on the queen with a look of disgust on his face.

_'Let them mock me. Soon I will have my revenge against the Faith'_ Cersei told herself as the Faith Militant surround her and began to escort her from the Redkeep.

The path down was common but today it felt long and very tiring for Cersei and when she step outside into the cold wind, and rising snow, the fallen queen could swear she felt the strangers cold grip wrapping around her neck.

Cersei was helped into a royal carriage and was deeply surprised to see the gravedigger himself sitting right in front of her.

A small grin had spread across Cersei cheeks as she looked at Qyburn, the old fool smiled back and seemed oddly pleased with himself.

"I bid you well mornings your grace. Are we ready for today's victory?" the wrinkled old man asked as the wagon was set in motion.

"I dare say Lord Qyburn you seem awfully please with my impending trial. Is it because you will be allowed to set free your giant or do you have that much faith in the gods?" Cersei asked as she watched her elder pull a bottle of whine from his cloak and pour himself and the queen to glass of red whine.

"Oh you surly jest your grace, I have as much faith in the gods as any loyal servant of the Faith" Cersei took her cup and took a small sip and enjoyed the cups contents. The watchful eye of the sept had prevented Cersei from enjoying the world's simple pleasures.

"But in all honesty I prefer to put my faith in science not in a false faith" the old man began to cackle at his own humor while Ceresi giggled and finished her glass.

"I prefer to do the same but on the off chance of my champion failing me, what then?" Cersei asked as she extended her cup to Qyburn and gestured for him to refill her glass.

"I see you have little faith in the gods as well your grace. Very good its better to place your faith in something real and true, like Ser Robert Strong and me" a yellowish smile appeared on Qyburn's face as he finished filling Ceresi's glass.

"I find that very hard to do at this time Lord Qyburn" the laughter was gone.

"You failed to bring Queen of the Whore's down. She still reigns in my place and continues to influence my son" Cersei looked down at her glass and looked at her reflection in the red whine.

"Forgive me your grace I am afraid I had little power in this matter. I did as you commanded. I influenced those I could and pushed each one to confession" the pride in Qyburn's eye suddenly vanished as he gazed out of the window.

"But on the day of confession something had happened to each of man" Qyburn was concerned and confused; Cersei could see it in the old fools eyes.

"What do you mean? Speak your mind" Cersei ordered as Qyburn removed his gaze from the window and gave it to Cersei.

"It was a trick…or some form of magic. As soon as the men began to confess there sins the High Sparrow simply talks to each of them and one by one each had broken" a smile suddenly appeared on the de-clawed lion while Qyburn made a scoffing sound.

"Each of them barked of torture and suffering but none gave a name. Praise be to the god who saved me from my suffering" Qyburn had suddenly grown very tired and leaned back in his chair and began to relax.

"Indeed, praise the gods" Cersei told herself as she began to recall each day she used her beauty to influence those around her. It would seem that the fallen Queen and the High Septon have more I common than what she believed.

"Tell me my friend what became of our little liars?" Cersei asked as she followed Qyburn's example and began to relax in her cushion seat.

"I'm afraid I know very little. My rats tell me that each succumb to my torture but there are a few who still draw breath, particularly the mad bard" Cersei took Qyburn's meaning of the mad bard as to be the 'Blue Bard' the foolish musician that Queen Margeary loved ever so.

"I see" Cersei mumbled.

'_Another knife in my back'_ the queen told herself as the wagon suddenly rocked from left to right.

"Have any mentioned me by name?" Cersei asked wondering if Qyburn spies could help her should the worse come to pass.

"No, as of yet none have confessed to your involvement nor mine thankfully, and hopefully it shall remain that way" the wagon began to rock again as iron cages to Red Keep opened and allowed Cersei's cargo passage through the Castle wall.

"I would sooner pray" Cersei said in a mocking tone.

"I want these men dead Lord Qyburn. All of them leave none to draw breath" a small vile grin appeared on Qyburn's face.

"Death seems a little easy my queen. May I suggest something else?" the chain-less Maester asked while Cersei giggled.

"Do as you will milord. Go with my blessings" then Cersei gave Qyburn the most honest smile any had ever seen.

Time had began to pass and silence fell over the Cersei and Qyburn but a question suddenly appeared in the Queen's mind as she gazed through her miniature window and saw a black banner with a red dragon stitched upon its canvas.

"It would seem the dragon influence is spreading. Qyburn has anyone dealt with this supposed dragon yet?" Cersei asked as she watched a gold cloak tear down the banner from the corner of her eye.

"As of yet…no" the words were bitter on his lips.

"Many are too incompetent to deal with such a matter. The Stromlands have been plunged into chaos thanks to the dragon and his griffon" Qyburn said as he leaned forward in his set and rubbed his eyes while Cersei waited for Qyburn to continue. A moment of silence had past until Qyburn began to speak once more.

"Many have already turned their backs on the crown and swore loyalty to the dragon prince. Among them are house Dondarrion and Swann" Cersei's grip on her golden chalice tighten.

"House Tarth of Evenfall Hall sailed out to meet our enemies on the battlefield but sadly they have fallen to the advancement of the Golden Company and the winter winds" Qyburn seemed unmoved by such news.

"What of the other houses in the Stormlands?" Cersei asked.

"Do they sit and do nothing while my son's enemies march our front door?" Cersei asked.

"Misfortune is smiling down upon your son your grace. As of now only Lord Foote's shows loyalty to this would be king while other lords remain silent and await his arrival" Qyburn explained.

"Arrival?" Cersei was appalled.

"Why are they waiting why are those worms stalling?" Cersei asked her tone rising ever so slightly.

"What is your understanding of this event Milord? Surely you must have a position on this matter" Cersei could no longer hide her anger behind false smiles or prayers.

"Are we at risk of loosing the Stormlands?" Cersei asked with bitter tears glimmering in her eyes.

"I am not a man of war your grace but I do know something about the people" Cersei had to hold back a laugh when Qyburn spoke.

'_People are stupid and serve only one purpose'_ Cersei told herself.

"What do you know about people? You only gut them to see how they live and how they dye. What do you know of people Lord Qyburn?" Cersei asked in usual bitter voice.

"I know that they are both foolish and uneducated" he laughed.

"If a priest were to tell a farmer to stop planting his crops the farmer would do it in the name of god while he waits for their blessing" Qyburn devilish grin returned.

"If a Maester were to tell a crippled man to cut off his legs the cripple would do in hopes of growing new legs" Qyburn was no jester but his words did make Cersei laugh.

"People follow the greater powers in the world; they are what create kingdoms and empires your grace" Cersei shook her head in disagreement.

"What nonsense. Power and control are what create a kingdom, the people do nothing but destroy kingdoms!" Cersei shouted.

"I'm afraid that is where you are wrong my queen" as he leaned back in his seat.

"Do tell" Cersei said as Qyburn placed his hand beneath his chin appeared to become lost in his thoughts, the silence was very uneasy for Cersei but that changed when Qyburn had a thought appear on his face.

"Three great men are sitting in a room. A King, a priest, and a very wealthy man" Qyburn began to say.

"In the center of them stands a common sell-sword. Each great man bids the sell-sword to kill the other two. Who lives and who dies my queen?" Qybrun ask while a puzzled look appeared on her face.

"Is this a riddle?" Cersei asked as his mind struggled to come up with an answer.

"Of a sort your grace, but answer me truly. Who will live and who will die?" Qyburn patiently waited for his answer.

"I don't know. I believe the answer lies with the sell-sword" Cersei said with a wave her hand.

"Truly?" Qyburn seemed astonished by Cersei.

"I don't think so, this man is the unknown answer to a larger question. As far as I know this man has neither land nor gold, he may not have any favor with the gods" Qyburn explained.

"Then who lived and who died?" Cersei asked a curious smile appeared on Qyburn's face.

"They're in lye's the answer your grace" Cersei found herself developing a strong dislike for Qyburn.

"All around us are people your grace and it will always be those people who will give us power. To answer your original question of the Stromland's your grace my answer is this" Qyburn had to clear his throat and began to play with his fingers before he spoke but when he did he voice hit hard with possible truths.

"Tommen is at risk of loosing more than just the Stromland's your grace, he could very well loose all seven kingdoms and his life" Cersei appeared angry.

"What proof do you have of this" she asked as she began to picture he cute little boy.

"History and logic my dear queen" Qyburn simply said as Cersei fought the urge to cry true motherly tears.

"Before Robert's Rebellion there lived only one king and only one, not five. Before the rebellion the High Septon only taught but now one rules with an army at his back" the truth was bearing down harder and harder upon Cersei as she began to face her mistakes.

"The people are afraid and they are lost. There are too many leaders and rulers to follow and none of them know who to follow" Qyburn explained.

"Should the people put their faith in the would-be-king who flee's from the duties of his people or perhaps the people should follow Golden Rose" Cersei's thoughts immediately rushed to the Margeary, the bitch queen, and the poor misguided child.

"Perhaps the people decide to follow the Krakens that pillage the south or maybe the might follow the bastard child, born of insist, who hides behind his mother skirts" Cersei had enough.

Qyburn had only seconds to react as he watched the queen pick up her golden cup and try to strike at him, however; the old man was not as feeble as he appeared. With a powerful grasp Qyburn took the cup from Cersei and immediately apologized.

"I meant no offence to your grace but even you must admit the truth. Your children's claim to the throne has been shaken a many of times and soon it will be broken, if not now then later" Qyburn said as Cersei leaned back in her seat with a sad look upon her.

"There are too many armies, kings, and wealthy men for the people to trust" Qyburn said he felt Cersei's glare pierce his black soul.

"So they would sooner embrace a dead prince than there rightful king. A sweet boy who can lead them to peace and prosperity" Cersei said as she looked away from Qyburn and out into the street.

The snow had fallen for many days and nights and the ground had been covered by a foot of snow, and still men and women were out and about working their trade or selling it.

'_These are the people?'_ Cersei thought as she watched a crippled man hobble into a tavern and was quickly shoved out of it. Cersei felt only disgust for the "people" around her.

"What must I do? What must I do to win these people over to my son's side?" Cersei asked as she began to wonder what she could do help Tommen.

"As of now the only thing you can do is stay alive. Declare Robert your champion during your trial and be sure to humble yourself during your trial" Qyburn explained as he took Cersei by her hand, his hands felt rough and old, but the old man was doing everything he can to calm the fallen queen.

"After your victory the real work will begin. I've already placed in motion a set of events that will save Tommen but beyond that I can tell you nothing more" the carriage suddenly came to a stop.

'_Already?'_ Cersei thought as she gazed out the window and looked up a the great Sept of Baelor.

"Remember keep faith with Robert Strong" Qyburn whispered as the door to the wagon was pulled open and two Warrior's Son helped Cersei from the carriage. When Cersei stepped out into the sunlight she almost wished to return to her chambers. The greats sept was crowded by commoners shouting at the top of there lungs.

They were beyond count and they wished her dead, only a the Poor Fellow's kept Cersei safe, a ragged band of would be soldiers wearing old armor and dented helms.

"Stay close your grace" an all too familiar voice said as Cersei was being caroled up the stairs while the poor fellow's pushed back the crowd.

"Whore!"

"Brother Fucker!"

"Monster!"

'_How dare they mock me'_ Cersei told herself as she kept her gaze fixed upon the marble steps.

"It's the queen!" a man shouted and for half a heartbeat Cersei believed that the man was speaking of her but to the fallen queen's horror Margaeary Tyrell was standing at the top of the steps with her oaf of a father Lord Mace Tyrell.

Together father and daughter were basking in the love of the people while Cersei became ignored. The daughter of the rock felt both the fool and the disgrace.

"All hail Queen Margaeary! Long live Queen Margaeary!" one chant turned into a hundred and each sentence infuriated Cersei more and more.

'_I am the rightful Queen not her!'_ Cersei told herself as two Warrior Son's forced Cersei to come face to face with Margaeary and her father, the hand of the king. An awkward moment had past when neither queens bowed to one another, and it was only then when Cersei had to swallow her pride and bow her head.

"Your grace" Cersei said in a hard tongue.

"Rise dear sister and embrace me" Margaeary ordered as she gestured for the bald woman to rise.

"It would seem your day has come dear sister" the flower queen whispered as she pulled away from Cersei and gave the disgraced woman a vile smile. She took Cersei by her wrist and forced her to turn and face the mob of men and women who loved Margaeary but loathed her.

"Look at them milady and listen to what they say" her whispers were as cold as ice.

"They chant my name while they damn yours" the flowers thorns were digging into Cersei's wrist.

"They beg for the flower, a strong flower, and demand the death and blood of the old lioness" Margaeary was far too pleased with herself Cersei thought to herself.

"But have no fear my lady they will not harm you, because I won't allow it" Cersei looked away from the crowd and placed her eyes on Margeary and for a moment both green and brown eyes met and tension's reached their peak.

"We will find your uncle soon enough milady, have no fear" Cersei was caught off by the queen's remark.

'_She acts as if she knows where he is'_ Cersei thought herself wondering if it was the Tyrell's who murdered the Grand Maester and kidnapped her uncle.

"And then with his help we will send you back to your hollow rock hand in hand with a husband of our choosing" the queen flashed Cersei another vile smile with teeth as white as the piling snow.

That was all Cersei needed to know.

'_He betrayed me'_ Cersei told herself in disbelief.

_'Kevan betrayed me. He is plotting my downfall'_ Cersei began to ponder about why her uncle would aid the Tyrell's in her coming downfall.

_For riches?_

_Glory?_

_Power? _

Cersei could not understand

"I do pray we find him soon sweet sister. I fear for life ever so. If you stay in King's Landing much longer someone may decide to put a bolt in your belly…or perhaps strangle you" Cersei had to resist the urge to reach out and claw out golden roses eyes.

'_How dare she mock me! Damn her! Damn you all!'_ Cersei screamed to herself while she continued to act out her false persona.

With a polite and harden bow the queen entered the Great Sept of Baelor without so much as uttering a sound and proceeded to approach that Alter Of The Seven with the hand of the king following in pursuit.

Mace Tyrell walked alongside Cersei with a sour look on his face but stopped following Cersei and took his seat among his house and Cersei could feel the fat fool burning holes into the back of her skull with his eyes.

The warrior's son escorted the fallen queen to the head of the great sept and there she stood waiting for the council of high septons and high septas to finish their prayer; however the prayer didn't seem to end. Soon Cersei lost track of time and it felt as if she had stood at the edge of the Alter Of The Seven for hours, but time was not as elusive as many believed.

The forgotten queen could be patient when she wanted to be and the longer the believer's prayer the longer she was free of persecution and harassment.

That changed soon enough.

The hall grew silent when the bell tolled twice and then the pray had come to an end, and then from a side door entered the High Sparrow and seven of his holiest warriors, each plated in one of the seven colors of the faith.

Cersei saw each man who marched forward, each harden by war, battle, and faith. The old septon was slow as he entered he walked with the grace of the gods but with the body of an old man but Cersei remained patient and simply waited for the High Sparrow to arrive at his brothers and sisters side.

Each greeted the High Sparrow with a bow and kiss on the finger, where a ring should have been, as soon as the ass kissing came to an end. The High Sparrow turned to the Alter Of The Seven and began to lead the congregation in a united prayer.

Cersei lost interest in the prayer at the beginning but began to listen when the old sparrow began to close his prayer.

"And may you judge your children justly and fairly. Open our eyes and hearts to the truth and blind us from the lies of sinners! In the name of the Gods we pray!" the High Sparrow shouted and in unity all god's people said.

"Amen"

Silence fell over the room as the High Sparrow and his holy council turned from the alter and faced the queen. Cersei fell to her knees and kneeled for the High Septon and his order and remained still and humbled. The silence from before remained as the High Sparrow gazed down at Cersei, the old septon stood higher than any man from as stood by the Alter Of The Seven.

But Cersei was the lioness of the rock she would not fear a meager sparrow. Before the eyes of god and men she will prove her innocents and take back her birthright as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

"Cersei Lannister" the High Sparrow said.

"You kneel before the gods as a child reborn in faith" the sparrow sound ever as high and mighty as a king would but his tone betrayed his mistrust for the lioness of Lannister.

"I bid my greatest thanks to you your holiness and to the gods who have shown me the path to salvation" Cersei lied once more keeping her gaze fixed upon the marble ground. The ground was a pearly white, glimmering and shimmering in the flickers of candle and torch-light.

"By the glory of the god themselves have I truly seen the light and errors of my ways" Cersei felt as if she were becoming a mummer performing for traitors and liars alike. They all watched her and mocked the fallen queen as they watched her kneel before the High Sparrow. Each Lord and Lady believed they were casual with their whispering but Cersei heard them all.

She heard there laughs.

Their mocking of her.

And there names.

Cersei would remember each name that appeared in the great sept this day, and once proven of her innocents she would burn each lord and ladies castle to the ground and then she would carve out each name until history could no longer remember their names.

"So you claim but you still deny your crimes" Cersei hated the High Sparrow for talking to her.

"Your high holiness in private I confessed to my sins. It would not honor the gods or myself if I were to speak them in such a holy place " Cersei felt a lump grow in her throat, for a moment she had almost forgot what she had confessed to the high sparrow.

From what Cersei could remember from her confession with High Sparrow that she had been able to convince the holy fool that her only crimes were fornication with her cousin and her cat's-paw.

"Indeed by the good grace of our lords and savories you came to me with an open heart and confessed your sins, it truly was a defining moment in your faith your grace" Cersei looked up from the marble floor to see the High Sparrow.

His tone portrayed him to be understanding and forgiving but the High Sparrow's face showed nothing of patience, forgiveness, or compassion.

This was a hard man who will show no mercy, and once again Cersei felt fear.

"Do you deny your sins lady of the rock? Do you deny all crimes and accusations brought before you?" the High Sparrow's voice had grown louder and boulder.

"Of course your holiness" Cersei exclaimed as she sat upon her knee's and looked up at the ragged old man. The High Sparrow was a small man, very thin, with a very hard face. Cersei had no fear of the man's physic or height but she did fear the mans iron will.

When the queen had met with the Sparrow last she had believed herself victorious and she would no longer need to fear him and his gods. The sparrow wants blood and he wish's to draw it from Cersei Lannister veins.

"Your benevolence, I have confessed to all my sins and whatever I have done I have done for the love of my children!" Cersei had to force her tears; she had to burry her face into her palms, and began to fake the sound of a sob.

A sob had echoed in the grand hall. The sound was loud and appeared to be filled with truth but the will of the gods prevailed and provoked the High Sparrow to raise his voice.

"Enough!" the grand septon shouted and in three heartbeats Cersei showed her face, a pitiful thing, it was a red face shimmering water. A lesser man would have believed each tear to be real and perhaps a few were but the will of the sparrow raged on as his holiness glared down at Cersei.

"You dare kneel before the Seven and proclaim your innocence, when in fact you are a liar, a harlot, and a sinner!" the rage of the sparrow showed no end. His face and body remained still but his tone grew darker and louder with each word.

"May the gods show you mercy your grace because you will find none here" the High Sparrow looked at one of his Warrior's Son, a stout man with red armor marched forward with two men, one in green the other red, and both took Cersei by her arms and held her down while the stout man clapped chains around the queens wrist's and ankles.

"What is the meaning of this? I have done all that you asked and then some! What more would you have of me!" Cersei screamed as she struggled in her cuffs, believing she could somehow break the links from her wrists.

"I demand justice and honesty!" the High Sparrow shouted as the green and blue Warrior Son's released the queen and forced her back on to her knee's.

"During our seven days of trial with the queen we came across an unusual piece of evidence" an old septa, with old brittle grey hair, said as she beckoned two of her yellow septas to come forth and bring with them an injured man that Cersei immediately recognized.

"Lord Kettleblack, of the Kingsguards, has confessed to his bedding with Queen Margery and confessed to stealing her maidenhead. A crime punishable by death" Osney was no longer half the man Cersei knew.

The Kettleblack appeared weak and feeble. His hair had begun to turn grey, his right leg was broken and his left arm was mangled. That was a great shame since all Kettleblack's fought with their left hand.

The poor man had been draped in a white woolen tunic that reminded Cersei of a serving boy who had no understanding of the concept of war or pain.

"But before Lord Kettleblack's timely death he came to his High Holiness and confessed to yet another crime, the rapping of our queen!" no one in the grand hall seemed surprised by this action. It was obvious that this new evidence came to light during Margaery's trial but Cersei was not permitted to attend the royal bitch's trial.

"A lie! All lies!" Cersei screamed her wrist digging deep into her cuffs.

"Silence!" the High Sparrow roared as Ser Osney was brought before his high holiness and was given aid to kneel before him.

"Ser" the sparrow paid his respects and dipped his head to the broken man.

"Your benevolence, I would like to thank you for allowing me to be here on this most…difficult of days" Ser Osney had paused to choose his words carefully; the man seemed deeply troubled and could hardly look up at the sparrow.

"I have come here to protest my sins and answer for my crimes before the eyes of god and men" his voice was weak and hard to hear but the silence in the hall allowed everyone to hear him. Tears began to swell up in the man's eyes as he began to speak.

"I-I have done many things, you know of this but I would repeat them now so that I may find peace" Ser Osney cleared his throat, his voice became clear and he began to speak louder.

"Liar, you are here to save yourself!" the chained woman proclaimed.

"Ignore him! By professing these lies he will demand that his life be spared!" Cersei shouted by her words fell upon deaf ears as everyone in the room gave their attention to Ser Osney Kettleblack.

"It was the queen regent who approached me and beckoned me to carry out my crime" Ser Osney began.

"In exchange for what?" a member of the High Sparrows council asked.

"For love, a royal pardon, and a lordship your holiness" Osney appeared greatly shamed by his actions "for that I have taken from her grace her innocents and I have brought great shame upon the realm. I beg for your forgiveness of might Septon" a moment of silence had followed after Ser Osney's confession.

Again, none were surprised because everyone had already heard his confession and kept Cersei wandering in the darkness.

"For your confession and you repentance Ser Kettleblack you have done the Gods a great favor and for that you have been forgiven" the High Sparrow suddenly appeared sad and weighed down by grief.

"Unfortunately, the crime you have committed cannot be pardoned or forgotten.  
The will of the gods demands justice" another council member said as Ser Osney bowed his head.

"Then they shall have it. Better to die a freed man than a sinner" Ser Kettleblack said as the people around him cheered for him and thanked him for his honesty. Soon Ser Kettleblack was taken from the great hall, leaving only Cersei to kneel on the floor.

By then Cersei could feel their eyes, not the eyes of men but the eye of god. The Father, Mother, Warrior, Maiden, Smith, Crone, and the Stranger were all looking at her. The eyes form the glass memorials glittered in the light with fire and judgment while the stone and marbled statues judged Cersei with cold stone eyes.

Cersei was afraid.

The queen was fearing for her life.

'_He won't let this go now. He will pursue me until death and even then he will never let me go' _Cersei could feel her breath growing louder and more ragged.

'_It's their fault! Damn the Tyrell's they have turned everyone against me and chain me as if I were a bitch!'_ the queen told herself as she began to fight back real tears of frustration, but that was only the beginning slowly everything began to fall around Cersei.

One by one witness had appeared before the council to confess to their innocents and the false accusations pitted against them.

Lancel Lannister, the Red Warrior, was the first to appear. He had stepped out from the ranks of his fellow brothers and kneeled before the High Septon. Cersei took a long hard look at the boy, who had aged horribly in the lost few months, and listened to the ugly fool confess to his crimes of both treason against his king at the behest of his queen and fornication with the queen herself.

An uproar had started within the crowd and Poor Fellow's had to be ordered in bringing order to the trial. Lancel remained on his knees, bowing his head, and begged the High Septon and the gods for forgiveness.

Lancel had remained as stone until the High Sparrow beckoned for Lancel to rise and face his council. Not one man or woman had seemed surprised by this confession and suddenly Cersei realized that Lancel had already confessed to his crimes and the seven judges knew of them.

This made Cersei feel sick. It felt as if someone had shoved an arrow into her back, and for the rest of the trial it had continued to feel like that as more came forward to confess their innocents.

Jalabhar Xho was the second to confess to his innocents and that he never touched the queen or her cousins due to a very personal secret that no living man in King's Landing knew about.

Before the marksman exile he was made a eunuch by his jealous brother so that he may never give birth to any true sons, thus proving is innocent. Cersei didn't care much for his presentation to the crowd or the sight of the scar. The man from the Summer Island was suddenly pardon and was given an honorable apology from the council and from the Hand of the King.

Followed afterwards was Ser Bayard of Norcross, a common knight of low birth, and as soon as the knight stepped out upon the marble floor he proclaimed that he never touched the queen only a cousin during a night drinking.

The poor man had no relocation of that night but he confessed to showing much affection towards Lady Elinor Tyrell, the cousin to the queen.

Before long Lady Elinor was brought before the council and immediately confessed to her fornication with the knight and began to beg for forgiveness.

The council took both statements to heart and concluded that both man and woman were innocent, but because of what they had done both and man and woman would need to be married before the eyes of god and men.

Soon enough they both received pardons from the council and were released back into the custody's of there houses. That's when Cersei began to laugh, both may have been freed but both knight and lady brought shame upon their houses and would receive no pardon there.

More came after that: Ser Tallad the Tall was brought before the council and he proclaimed that he sought the affection of both Lady Alla Tyrell and Lady Elinor but both ladies rejected his affection.

After being scorned by both his true loves Ser Talled had sought to join the ranks of the Warrior's Son.

The hedge knight offered little to prove his innocents but in exchange of his loyalty the council offered Ser Tallad a place among the Warrior's ranks and thus the hedge knight was pardon and given a rainbow cloak.

Hugh Clifton was meant to appear before the council today but the council had informed the court that Hugh Clifton had succumbed to an infection from a wound he had received during his imprisonment, a silent prayer was said for him and then he was forgotten.

Next came Ser Lambert Turnberry, he was presented to the council and swiftly he confessed to his crime, but his crime was not to fornication but rather failure.

The Knight had failed to protect his queen and her ladies and that was a crime that could never be forgiven.

Ser Lambert professed that he had no way of proving his innocents and would accept his punishment but he would sooner take the black than die. So the council had made the same offer to Ser Lambert as they did Ser Tallad.

Cersei had begun to protest that both men were sinners and deserved death and that the Warrior's Son was not the Night's Watch. The council quickly replied to Cersei's remark with

"Any man with an earnest heart may approach our ranks. It is not for us to judge our knights but rather it is the duty of the gods," the high sparrow said with a calming voice, "and if both men are guilty of their earlier crimes then may they be forgiven for their and be judged by the father above in the afterlife" the remark seemed rather hypocritical to Cersei, but Cersei knew better than to argue with the High Sparrow.

And finally it was Ser Mark Mulledore turn to appear before the council. The once burly man was brought low with two swollen black eyes and three missing teeth. His arms were mangled and broken and it appeared he been whipped across his face. Many scars had been licked across his face and his nose was broken as well and had begun to heal in a occurred position.

Followed after the broken knight was a man Cersei had known far too well, the infamous Blue Bard, or rather the Mad Bard. A shattered man with more wounds than any living man should ever have, his sight greatly troubled the court.

Both were forced to kneel, the blue bard had to ease down upon his wounded legs while the knight was shoved to the ground by two Poor Fellows in dented helms.

Ser Madulledore began to struggle and began to disregard his wounds and pains so he could flee or fight but the Poor Fellows over powered the wounded man and made the knight face the High Septon.

"You fucking bastards! You left us to rot and die in those dungeons and only now you want to see us! Piss off you royal ba-" Ser Mark was struck in the back by the butt of a spear.

"Stay your hand!" a septa in a yellow robe ordered as the two Fellows stepped back and bowed to the council.

"It would be wise to hold your tongue ser knight or you may find yourself thrown back into the pit from wince you came" the High Sparrow said with his usual kind hearted attitude.

"As you say" the knight said as he kept his head bow to mourn his wounds.

"You two have been brought before the sight of gods and men to protest your innocent and present your evidence against your false impressments" the High Sparrow resisted that same sentence again and Cersei had grown as tired of it as she did her own chains.

"Do either of you having anything to say?" the question hung in the air for a moment and then the only thing that could be heard was a loud cough, heavy breathing, and the whimpering of the Mad Bard.

"Do either have anything tell confess?" the septa in the yellow robe asked as she began to squirm in her seat.

The silent's remained and it was making Cersei feel uneasy.

"Is it to my understanding that neither of you wish to confess?" a septa with a beard as long as Maester Pycelle said as he shifted his two brown eyes between the two men.

Both men remained defiant until a Poor Fellow stepped up behind the Mad Bard and ordered the man to speak and with a small yelp the Mad Bard began to speak and he showed no sign of stopping.

Cersei was in dismay.

Every word that came from the bards mouth was another arrow in the queen's back. The Mad Bard began to speak of his tortures at the hands of a demon, a man without a chain, all the while mourning the loss of his fingers.

The Mad Bard went on to sound off the names of Margaery's suitors and sexual partners, another arrow in Cersei's back.

The bard could not stop and refused to stop until the High Sparrow held up his hand and ordered the bard silenced. With a calming hand a Silent Sister calmed the poor man down and slowly escorted the bard from the High Septon's presence.

"Ser Knight who is this demon the bard speaks of?" the sparrow asked as the broken knight inclined his head further to avoid the gaze of the speaker of gods.

The knight did not speak for a time but just as the sparrow as about to send the knight away Ser Mark spoke up.

"It was her!" he yelled as he turned himself around and lunged towards Cersei.

"She is a demon. A devil among man!" he began to crawl and squirm his way over to Cersei calling her many things and none of them good. Ser Mark only stopped when a Poor Fellow struck him on the head with the butt of a rusted axe.

Cersei watched Ser Mark Mulledore being dragged from the hall and al lat once it seemed that the fight had finally left the man and all that remained was an empty vassal and Cersei enjoyed watching that.

The sparrow and his flock would not take Qyburn from her but the lioness remained chained and Cersei began to wonder how the demon would free her from her prison.

The Sparrow ushered his follower to rise with him and stand together as they each one looked down at Cersei Lannister.

"Lady Lannister, the evidence brought before you is compelling and troubling" the sparrow began to chirp.

"Not only have you profaned the gods and your name, you have also brought discord and chaos into our realm" the High Sparrow began to walk off the Alter Of The Seven and approach Cersei.

"Lady Lannister you are not fit for rule or authority. The gods frown upon you and the Father above demands justice for your crimes as follows" the sparrow stood before Cersei who had kept her eyes fixed upon the High Sparrow's harden face, with the defiant eyes of a Lannister.

"The murder of my predecessor and the murder of our beloved King Robert!" the crowd had begun to chant.

"Forbearing false witness against the queen and her ladies!" many of them were demanding Cersei's head on a pike.

"And for fornication with other men!" the High Sparrow had the people on his side but it would seem he cared very little for them now.

"You have chosen trial by combat milady and combat you shall have but in light of this new evidence your crimes are far to sever for a simple trial" Cersei would have started yelling at the sparrow but at this point she knew it would do her little good.

"What shall be my penance then?" the former queen asked.

"It will be the Trial of Seven" the sparrow announced and an awkward hush fell upon the crowd as they all became stunned by the Sparrows proclamation.

"My holy seven shall challenge you and yours to a Trail of Seven. A crime as terrible as yours deserves such a reputation my lady" Cersei felt her breath grew erratic. Who could she possibly call upon to defend her in such a trial? Could Ser Robert Strong defend her in such a way?

Cersei felt her breathing grow heavier and louder while those around her belittled her and made demands for her death. She could no longer withstand such suffering and finally succumbs to darkness and in that darkness she was surrounded by those who had betrayed her.

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**Authors Notes**: Sorry for the late update everyone. I hop you enjoy this new chapter.


	4. Alayne

**Notes**: Hello everyone and welcome back to anther thrilling chapter of Falling Snow. I am so sorry for the late update. I have been having a rough couple weeks with work and home life. A lot of crap has gone down over the last week but I managed to finish editing the fourth chapter of Falling Snow – Alayne and I hope everyone enjoys it. Also if anyone cares to know I have also finished uploading a new chapter for my second Fanfic Dragon Age: Revelations.

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**The Song of Ice and Fire: Falling Snow**

By: aadpeters23

Alayne

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She could not remember when she heard the sound or derive where it was coming from, but it woke her form her sleep and drove her from the warm comfort of her furs. She sat up in her bed and slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and that's when the sound grew louder and clearer.

_A bell_ Alayne thought as she rose from her bed, garbed in woolen gown, and carefully fumbled her way through the darkness. Alayne was very careful as she walked, her living quarters were very small compared to the others rooms at the Eyrie.

The bastard child reached the other end of her small room and quickly light a candle and chased the darkness away. Alayne quickly dressed herself in the flickering light and in the colors of her father's house, blue and white, and just as she finished putting on her dress and knock appeared on the door. Alayne allowed whoever was knocking into her chamber and for a moment she was surprised to see one of Nestor Ryoce household guards enter her room.

"My lady" the man began ", your father Lord Baelish demands your presence immediately. I am to escort you to him right away" the guard was an elderly man, brad of chest and was an average height.

"What has happened?" Alayne asked as she the older guard escorted the young bastard child from her room and quickly escorted the young lady.

"It's Lord Robert my lady, his sickness is over-powering him and he cries out for you" the guard was eager and very nervous, increasing the speed of his pace, pushing Alayne to walk faster as well and the young stone girl hated it.

_I don't want to see him _she told herself, _the last I saw of him he begged me to crawl into bed with him and help him sleep and the only thing he managed to do was empty his bowels upon me. _

The memory of Robert urinating upon her in his bed made Alayne feel sick and disgusted. Many things Robert did made Alayne feel sick or he would frustrate her to the end of her patience. Ever since Robert came to the Gate of the Moon he has refused to leave Alayne's side and continued to act more of a child with each passing day. Alayne could remember the day she had arrived at the Gate with Robert and was forced to endure his childish nature.

"I don't want porridge" Robert cried one morning.

"I want sweet cakes and honey and-and berries" he sat at his table with Lord Baelish and Maester Colemon while Alayne brought the young boy his food so he may break his fast with his new father. However, the child protested and began to throw a tantrum when Alayne refused to bring him the sweets he desired.

"My little lord, I have already told you that the Vale is on a food ration. We cannot exhausted our food supplies so early in the winter" the Maester tried to explain but the long neck master may have as well been speaking to a deaf child, because Robert proceeded to pick up his bowl and fling it across the room but the bowl barely flew and all Robert had accomplished was spilling his food on the table.

Alayne had proceeded to scold the child for wasting his food and Robert's only reply to Alayne was "You can't talk to me like that! I'm the lord of the Eyrie and I want sweet cakes" he cried.

Alayne would have loving nothing more than to bring the little trouble maker a sweet cake and fling it at his face, but then Alayne reminded herself that this boy was only seven. His mother had spoiled him to the core and gave the sickly child whatever he wanted, and now it would be up to Alayne to reeducate the boy and break his old habits.

"My dearest Robert is this way a Lord of the Vale should act?" Alayne had asked as she reached across the table and turned the bowl right-side up and began to wipe the thick mess back into the wooden bowl.

"But a Lord can do whatever he wants and I still want sweet cakes!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he screamed.

"I know you do but first you must eat your porridge" Alayne said explained when something suddenly hit her alongside her face. The auburn hair lady reached up the side of her face and realized that Robert had thrown his spoon at her.

"Robert!" Alayne had shouted as she placed the bowl on the table and quickly approached the child and took the thin child by his wrist and pulled on it. Robert appeared shocked and close to tears.

"Little Lords do not throw things" Alayne shouted and after that it looked like Robert was going to start crying.

"I'm the lord! I'm the lord! I'm the lord and I wa-want" Robert began to throw a tantrum before the shake's fell upon him. The little lord lost all control of himself and began to shake uncontrollably until Maester Colemon came to the little lords rescue and began to help Robert. Alayne felt guilty for what she had done but in recent years the young girl and grown into a woman and knew the truth of the situation. Robert had brought this upon himself when he refused to act like a proper lord.

And just like that her guilt was gone but her troubles remained when she noticed a glare piercing her flesh. Alayne gazed across the room and noticed that a hand maid was glaring at her as were two household guards. Alayne could feel there hatred for her and would have given anything to have there eyes averted from her, but the moment passed and the castle returned to normal when Lord Robert was taken away.

"Pay them no mind dear, they were mad at there lord not you" Lord Baelish said as he dipped his quill in more Maester ink and continued to write into a book.

"Then why do they glare at me with such hateful eyes?" Alayne asked as she wiped pieces of oat from her dress and hair.

"Because you did the one thing they have always wanted to do" Lord Baelish did not raise his head as he spoke so Alayne began to clean up the mess little Robert had created.

"You mean scream at a child" Alayne said when Petyr suddenly began to chuckle as he closed his book.

"I would hardly call that yelling sweet thing. You simply raised your voice. Like any normal mother would" the word mother struck Alayne hard. She had no desire to be Roberts caretaker, mother, or anything. She would rather stay away from the child at all coasts and it would seem she would get her wish.

After that morning everything seemed to have gotten worse for Alayne and the castle as Robert became more erratic and selfish. He would demand gifts, toys, stories, and music from every man and woman in the castle, but never Alayne. To Robert, Alayne had become the cruelest woman in the world and deserved isolation and punishment for what she did to him.

The last Alayne had saw of Robert was just a few hours ago when he had begun to cry for a handmaid to stay with him until his nightmares went away. The poor girl did as she was told and went to bed with Robert while Alayne began to wonder if maybe she should be with Robert. The handmaid was young and beautiful and she would most likely be covered in Roberts water.

Alayne was used to such a thing while the other girl wasn't to be there for Robert, and then Alayne felt guilty once more. She felt terriable for yelling at a child, but when the boy urinated upon her and began to nuzzle her breast she had enough and left Robert alone in his sleep. Those were the things Robert did with his mother and now he wanted those old routines back, but the boy would not get them back from Alayne.

After watching Robert and the handmaid vanish behind his chambers Alayne returned her quarters and gave herself to a well deserve rest, but that rest was quickly disrupted and now Alayne was awake and being lead toRobert so that she may coddle him and chase his nightmares away. But as Alayne and her escort neared Roberts's room she could hear screaming, a high pitched scream echoed in the hall and it had remind Alayne of her old life and of a brother who once screamed so loud.

"Is my lord safe?" Alayne asked as she felt a lump build in her throat. They all ignored her until they reached Robert's chambers and bid Alayne to enter a cramped room filled knights, lords, hand maids, and Lord Baelish kneeling at the side of Roberts bed holding the poor boy's hand.

Alayne felt heart stricken when she looked down upon Robert. The child was being held down into his bed by older and stronger men, shacking and crying himself into such a massive fit. This was a sight of Robert that Alayne had never seen before and by the expressions on the multiple faces in Roberts room.

"Will you do something man! The poor boy is going to shack his head off!" Lord Nestor Royce bellowed as stomped his foot on the ground. Alayne had thought the massive man would have scared poor Maester Colemon but the stick man had remained calm as he held down Roberts other arm.

"I can't do anything more! If I give him anymore medicine or care I am more likely to kill the boy than save him. He needs to ride this fit out" the thin Maseter yelled as he struggled to hold Robert down and place a soft cloth in the boy's mouth.

Alayne was in disbelief. What was happening to Robert? His shakes were never so fierce before and now they seem uncontrollable and it appeared that they would have no end.

"Lord Baelish, we have summoned your daughter as requested!" one of Alayne's escorts yelled catching her father's attention.

"Then get over here and hold the boy's arm down. I need to speak to my daughter in private!" Petyr yelled a tone so fierce that Alayne almost wondered if this man was truly her father.

The house guard did as he was told and took Robert by his arm and held the boy in place while Petyr took Alayne by her bicep and gently lead her to his chambers across the hall.

"Milord what is happening?" Alayne asked as she entered her father's room.

"Chaos my dear, everything around is falling into chaos" Petyr mumbled as he approached his table, a table stacked with books and parchments, and began to fumble through the massive piles.

"Is Roberts's life in danger?" Alayne asked.

"Of course it is. The boy is dying my sweet and that quickens our plans for the Vale" Petyr said as he dug out a clean sheet of paper and began to scribble words onto the parchment as swiftly as his hands would allow him.

Alayne felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach as she began to recall the lies she and Petyr had been telling since their arrival in the Eyrie and Lords Baelish wedding present.

"Then what's going to happen to us?" Alayne asked as she began to recall her true name but refused to utter it aloud or in her mind.

"We must play for time. With Robert's death upon us the Lords Declerant will push Harrold Hardyng to take his place as Lord of the Vale" Petyr said as he dipped his quil in more master ink and continued to write.

"This is perfect" Alayne said.

"If Harrold takes his place as the Lord of the Eyrie then I can marry him and retake the north!" Alayne felt lighter all of a sudden. These rapid paces of emotions were beginning to make her head spin and make her feel sick but at the same time she felt overjoyed.

"Don't be a fool my sweet, Harrold ascension to the Eyrie will only complicate our plans" Petyr explained without raising his eyes to his fake daughter.

"How do you mean?" Alayne asked confused by her father's remark.

"What is our plan?" Alayne asked wanting to wish more than anything that there would be no more complications.

"My dear you were meant to wed Harrold after his rise to the Eyrie. This would have secured your place at his side when he came to power, but now that his accession is accelerating I fear the other lords will push for him to marry another before he is appointed and named Lord of the Vale" Petyr said as finished writing and began to role his tiny parchment up and secure it in his pocket.

Alayne felt fear welling up inside of her, it felt familiar and it was one of the worst feelings she had ever experienced in her life. If anyone ever knew of her origins or found out Lord Baelish intentions they would both dye and Alayne would never see the resting place of her father again.

"What must we do then?" Alayne asked as Petyr swiftly appeared by her side and placed both of his hands on hers shoulder and smiled.

"Its very simple my sweet, while I play for time you will win the love and affection of our dear sweet Harrold" Petyr said as Alayne watched her father take a deep breath and slowly calm his nerves.

"I will use all my power of influence and all of my knowledge to delay Roberts death and Harrolds rise to Lord of Eyrie, but while I play my game you must win Harrold over to our cause" Petyr said as Alayne cast her gaze down at her father's black leather belt and polished brown boots.

"How can I win him?" Alayne asked as her gut began to twist inside of her.

"Use the one thing that all men crave for the most" Petyr said as he brushed Alayne's hair off her shoulders and reviled her gorgeous neck, her high cheekbones, and looked deep into her vivid blue eyes.

"Affection will be your weapon my sweet. Use it to win Harrold over to our side just as you won over me" Lord Baelish swiftly kissed his daughter forehead and Alayne felt a flush creep over her face when he did, and Lord Baelish finished he took his daughter by her hand and lead her out of his chambers.

"I have a task for you. I want you to take this message to the raven's nest have them deliver this message to Gultown. Once you're done return to your chambers and rest until morning. We have much to do my sweet" Petyr said as he took the parchment from his pocket and placed it in Alayne's hand. As swift as the brids in the sky Lord Baelish flew back into Robert's chambers and left Alayne all alone in the stony hall, but she did not stay there very long. She began to walk towards the Raven's nest in the Moon Gate and in time she arrived.

Alayne stood at the doorway for a moment but before she knocked and entered the nest Alayne felt a strange sense of curiosity fall upon her as she held the note up towards her eyes. She began to wonder what Petyr had written at such haste. Alayne was more than curious to see who it was for and what was writeen. Perhaps it was for her future husband or mayhap's it was for one his spies in the capital. Alayne would never know unless she opened it and read it.

Her hands worked swiftly as she untied the ribbon and unraveled the parchment. The bastard child had to lean against the wall beneath a candle to read the letter. It took a minute for Alayne's to adjust but once they were clear she began to read the letter to herself. The first few words were of a different language, a foreign one compared to the common tongue, but after the first sentence of foreign words Alayne began to read the parchment.

_Moving to fast._

_The sick falcon falls._

_The bitch sits ready._

_Delay for time._

_The Vale is not ready._

_The dead must wait._

Alayne could hardly understand what she was reading. None of it made sense to her and that infuriated her as she began to grow tired of secrets and plots. All Alayne wanted was peace and to go home and see the final resting place of her father, her mother, and younger siblings.

Alayne wanted to kneel where her father knelt and pray to her father's gods to give her back her family. Alayne missed her father, her mother, her brothers, and even her baby sister. Alayne would sooner give up her own life in place for their's. That was a foolish thought however; Alayne could not dye, not yet.

Alayne had to survive.

She was the last of her line and she refused to let it end with her life. Alayne would mother as many children as the gods would allow and train each of them as her father and mother taught her. Alayne's children would retake there homes and would live out there lives in peace and happiness just as she always wished she could.

Alayne began to cry all of a sudden.

She felt alone and she was frightened again.

She didn't want to be alone anymore. Alayne wanted someone, anyone, to be by her side right now but the poor woman had no family or friends left.

'_Jon'_ Alayne thought to herself.

'_I still have Jon'_ the bastard brother she always looked down upon even thought he loved her fiercely. Robert and Jon were always there for her and even though she constantly mocked her brother.

Jon Snow was a good soul who had always rushed to her aid. Her half brother was like her knight in shining armor sometimes but she would never say so to HIS face. Her mother always reminded Alayne that Jon was a bastard had no place in their home.

'_But he did'_ Alayne told herself as she began to recall a time when she was younger and more naïve.

Many years ago the Winterfell's stable master was teaching all the Stark children to ride. Only Robb, Jon, and Alayne were there because Arya was too young and Brann had run off to climb trees.

Alayne's little pony was kind and gentle thing but something had startled her that day and the little horse began to run and rump all over the yard. Alayne had fallen off her horse and began to panic as the beast began to rump closer towards her, but before the young Stark girl could be trampled she felt someone wrap there arm around her waist and drag her away from the pony.

Alayne had thought it was Robb or the Stable Master but it had been Jon who saved her. Alayne would have thanked her brother had it not been for her mother who had shoved Jon away and began to curse him for startling the horse.

Jon was such a kind soul and he deserved so much more than the wall, but than again the wall was so far away from the war and bloodshed. Perhaps when the war was done and she retook her home Alayne could visit her brother and properly thank him for everything he had ever done for her and their father.

Alayne suddenly found her strength again and swiftly gave the note to the Novice in the nest and instructed the boy to send the letter to Gultown and nowhere else. The novice quickly nodded and Alayne left the raven's nest and quickly found herself back in her bed sleeping.

Alayne had a sweet dream that night. Alayne dreamed that she was a child again and the she was playing with her brother's Robb and Jon. They agreed to play her favorite game 'Save the Princess', Alayne was the princess who needs to be saved from the terrible monster who took her. Robb and Jon would always take turns playing and Sansa would always help her hero by cheering him to slay the evil knight. Sansa was happy again but only for a moment she suddenly heard someone call out her other name.

"Lady Alayne" a soft voice whispered.

The voice whispered again and Alayne felt a soft nudge that woke her from her slumber.

"Yes" Alayne responded as she opened her eyes to see the dreary face of a sad woman.

"Lord Baelish has summoned you. Please rise and dress yourself properly" the hand maiden instructed. Alayne felt a surge of annoyance towards her adoptive father as she rose from her bed.

In time Alayne was dressed in a simple woolen garb and was making her towards her father's room, but as Alayne neared Lord Baelish's chambers she watched for Silent Sisters enter Robert's room and Alayne feared for the worse. As she drew near she spotted lord Baelish coming down the opposite end of the hallway with Maester Colemon following after him.

"How could you let this happen!" Petyr yelled as Colemon shrieked at his lord's tone.

"I do not know. The boy should have came out of his fit unharmed and I gave no more sweetsleep for fear of its drastic effects on him" Colemon squeaked as he struggled to keep up with Lord Baelish.

"What is happening father?" Alayne asked as Petyr took his daughter by her wrist and gently lead her into Robert's chambers.

"Robert's health has taken a turn for the worst" Petyr explained as he entered the room and Alayne was shocked to see how awful Robert looked. The child had finally stopped shacking but he was limb. The poor child was pale, his hair, crisp from sweat, and he was lying on his back with his bowls pouring out of his mouth. A handmaid had to stand beside the poor child and help him empty his bowels into a chamber pot.

"How long has he been like this?" Maester Colemon asked as he placed his hand onto the boy's head, his eyes growing in horror.

"He just started. He cannot keep anything down" the maid said in a panic as Measter Colemon kneeled beside the young boy and placed his hand on his forehead and another one his own.

"He's burning up!" Colemon quickly opened one of Robert's eyes and gazed into the boy's pupils.

"Has he said anything? Does he respond to anyone's voice?" Colemon asked as he beckoned for a silent sister to walk towards him.

"No, we found him like this moments ago and he says nothing and hardly moves" the hand maid said as Colemon commanded one of the maids to bring him more blankets for Robert.

"We need to sweat this sickness out of him and drain him of his blood! I need leeches now!" Colemon commanded as a silent sister ventured out of the room.

"What ale's the boy?" Petyr asked as Master Colemon took a small knife from one of his many pockets and gently jabbed at Robert's wrist. Using both hands Colemon began to squeeze the blood from Roberts wrist and Alayne watched as Robert wince and cry in pain.

"This is a sickness of the body. Something he may have acquired during his dissension from the mountain" Colemon began to work faster "It will eat away at him from toe to head and if it reaches' his brain before we purge his body of this illness he will die" Colemon said as he one of the silent sisters returned with a blanket and placed it over Roberts bed.

"But he could still live" Alayne stuttered.

"Yes, but only if I act now" Colemon said as he walked to the other side of Robert and cut his right wrist. One of the maids suddenly appeared holding an armful of blankets and quickly she began to cover Robert.

"Excellent, now go to the kitchen and start grinding down fruits, vegetables, and grains into a past for the boy" Colemon ordered as he began to squeeze on Roberts right wrist.

Robert began to sop and cry again and Alayne could feel quilt nipping at her heels. The pour boy was suffering and she felt as if she had caused this suffering, but that wasn't true. She did not pray for Robert's death only his silence.

"Lord Baelish I swear by the Seven I will do everything I can to save your sons life" Colemon said as a silent sister returned and ordered her to fetch his novices and his medicines.

"It's best that we do not linger here my sweet. Tonight will be a very long night for a poor Robert" Petyr said as he beckoned his daughter to follow him away from Robert.

Lord Baelish was right about the night. From late last night to high son Robert screamed, cried, and fell silent every so often sending a chill throughout the castle halls. Another day had past and still the child showed no sings of improvement.

Alayne could only feel quilt and pain from Robert's screaming. All the poor girl wished for was to go and hold Robert until his illness passed, but that act would not be permitted. Alayne would have to wait like the others and pray for Robert's recovery. The screaming continued and Alayne had to force herself to become distracted. The young woman silently ventured into her father's studies and found the thin man sitting at a table with a quill in his right hand and book in his left.

"Father" Alayne said as she slowly approached the devious man.

"Yes my sweet?" Petyr asked as a fake smile appeared on his lips and at that moment Alayne decided that she did not like that smile. Petyr had a wonderful smile, with clean white teeth, but beneath that handsome face was a liar, murderer, and a master of a deception. Petyr was so many things and she could see it all so clearly. Behind the thin bird were all his past crimes.

Alayne could see them all see clearly she thought she was reliving it.

Alayne could see her once gallant, and glorious, prince turning a lovely shade of purple at his wedding as he chocked on the poison Petyr had so fiendishly planted. The bastard of a king was griping at his neck, clawing at it really, struggling to breathe until the royal bastard finally killed over. It was a pleasing sight for Alayne, she could not and would not dyne the joy she felt when she watched Joffrey dye.

Alayne could suddenly see the crossbow quarrel's sticking out of Ser Dontos neck and gullet. The once cowardly jester had become her knight in shinning armor and one true friend. Ser Dontos had promised to save Alayne some many times from the evils of King Joffery and the Lannisters, but after receiving her freedom King's Landing Alayne was given a hard and bitter truth.

"_Ten thousand golden dragons"_ those were his words and final request until Petyr gutted the drunk like the pig he was.

And finally, Alayne could see her aunt, a mad woman who was driven by lust and jealousy.

Alayne could still her sobs and groaning as she spoke _"I've always loved you. I've proved it, haven't I?"_ Alayne could see the tears in her eyes.

"_I gave you my maiden's gift. I would have given you a son too, but they murdered him with moon tea, with tansy and mint and wormwood, a spoon of honey and a drop of permyroyal"_ her voice began to pitch and crack _"It wasn't me, I never knew, I only drank what Father gave me... It was me who got you your first post, who made Jon bring you to court so we could be close to one another. You promised me you would never forget that"_ Lysa voice suddenly began to harden.

"_You told me to put the tears in Jon's wine, and I did. For Robert, and for us! And I wrote Catelyn and told her the Lannisters had killed my lord husband, just as you said. That was so clever,"_ Alayne thought she heard laughter then."_Oh, My sweet silly jealous wife, I've only loved one woman, I promise you" _Petyr, he was standing right their. Alayne could see him as he spoke every so gently to Lysa.

"_Only one? Oh, Petyr, do you swear it? Only one?"_ A small smile appeared on Lysa lips while a bigger smile appeared on Petyr _"Only Cat"_ and then she flew. Lysa flew from the top of the mountain and into a world where only birds could fly, but Lysa was a Tully not an Ayrrn.

These were the horrors given to Alayne. The world is not a story and life would never be as it once was, Alayne knew that know and had openly admitted that truth to herself and others on more than once occasion. The world was a cruel place and it will never leave her be but there is one man who can help her fight back.

"Father can you teach me more about the game you play?" Alayne's request was met with a delightful laugh and encouragement.

"Of course me dear" from there Petry began to teach Alayne. For three days and three nights Alayne would meet with Petyr and he would teacher her sums and history, and his teachings would have continued but on the fourth morning Measter Colemon appeared before Lord Baelish and informed the Lord Protector that Robert would live. Alayne was relived and astonished. She had thought the boy would have surly died.

"The illness has been drained from him and his health has slowly improved" Maester Colemon said as he dipped his head and bowed to Lord Baelish, who was busy counting coins from his private ledger/

"Excellent work Maester Colemon" Petyr said as he closed his booklet and rose to approach the Maester and asked if he could see Robert.

"At once my lord" Colemon said as he led Petyr towards Lord Robert's chambers. Alayne did not go with her father or Maester however; instead she remained in her father's chambers and continued to her teachings by answering simple sums. A knock suddenly came to the door and it had startled Alayne. When she began to look around the room she had noticed her candles were nearly gone and that the sun had begun to set. Alayne began to wonder how much time had past until she heard a knock again and heard a man voice.

"Lord Baelish, I have a message for you" the voice, faint and frail, said as Alayne slowly rose from her chair and approached the thick wooden door. She slowly opened it and was greeted by one of Maester Colemon's novices a plump old man who gave her an odd stare.

"Lady Alayne, I beg your pardon's is your father about?" the old novice asked as he began to move his fat neck to see if Lord Baelish was sitting at his desk again, but Alayne cracked the door on him.

"Yes, he's working right now but I can help you" Alayne was quick on her toes as she brought the old man's gaze back to her.

"Well then, he has two letters waiting for him" the novice said as he pulled out two rolls of parchment. One was quiet larger and the other was small. Alayne planly seen one had come from a rider and the other from a raven. With swift and gentle hands Alayne took both letters from the plump man's hands and thanked him for his service before she slammed the door on the novice's face and belly.

Alayne quickly ran back to her father's desk and took her original seat and looked at the both letters, the larger paper and the waxed seal of the Mockingbird while the small parchment had no seal.

Without hesitation Alayne opened the smaller parchment and began to read it.

_The Kraken sails east._

_The Iron King rules._

_The Queen will come but the Dead walks the South_

_The Red Ones will arrive shortly to keep the bird alive._

_Wait for me and my dragons will come._

Krakens, the dead, and Iron were the only things Alayne understood from the letter. Common sense told Alayne that the Kraken was a deadly beast from the sea that ate the flesh of men and whales, and would pull whole ships under the ocean in order to devour them whole. The thought of such a beast eating her alive gave Alayne chills, regardless of how high up she was on her mountain.

The Iron King however, did not make much sense. Alayne knew of no man being called the Iron King and she did not hear any rumors of gossip of a newly appointed king. Perhaps the word was a hidden message that only Petyr could understand. The letter was another cryptic message that held no answer but Alayne did see one familiar word appear on the parchment.

_Dead_.

That word was on the first parchment she delivered and now it shows itself again. Alayne began to wonder what it could mean but she quickly pushed the thought aside. If she did not understand it then it was useless to her. So Alayne tied the string around the tiny parchment and made it appear as if it had never been touched.

There was a second letter however and it was larger but less inviting than its smaller counter apart, but putting size aside, Alayne was just as curious to see what was written on that paper as well. Alayne could not read the letter though. Its wax seal protected it and would it reveal her treachery if she broke it.

The child of the Stone through caution to the wind however and broke the seal. She had no idea why she did it but she had to know what was written and as she read was she was pleased to see that what she did would not be so treacherous after all. The letter appeared to be more of update on what was happing in the outside world, nothing more and nothing less.

Cersei had been denounced by man and faith alike and would be facing a glorious trial. The letter went into great detail of Cersei's foolishness and stupidity. She was presented naked for whole Kingdom to see. Her lies were brought before the faith and she was betrayed by her lover, Ser Osney Kettleblack, and imprisoned in the Great Sept.

A chuckle came out of Alayane as she read it again and again but her laughter stopped abruptly when she began to read how the Queen demanded trial by combat in order to prove her innocence.

That greatly troubled Alayne.

Cersei would finally receive justice for her past crimes and the crimes of her children, but with her power of influence and wealth she maybe able to win her trial. How unfair it seemed that Cersei, a traitor to the crown, was be given a trial while her father received none. They simply through him into the dungeon and then he was forced to confess his sins for the sake of peace and his children.

Alayne would pray for a swift and speedy trial and beg the gods to kill Cersei and all her bastard children.

Alayne continued her reading and was shocked to hear of the Iron Fleet sudden invasion into the Reach and the dissolution they had left behind them before tehy sailed into the Narrow Sea. The Shield Island's had been devastated by the attack and for so long no help came until the conquering of Dragonstone. At the command of Queen Margery, the Royal Fleet sails to the aid of High Garden while Ser Loras recovers from his wounds.

Alayne felt her heart skip a beat as her thoughts rushed to Ser Loras and the pain he was suffering. Alayne remembered the day the handsome knight had given her a lovely rose. Ser Loras was gallant and handsome with his long brown curls blowing in the wind while the sun glimmered off his flower armor. Alayne suddenly felt another laugh come out of her as she remembered how she dreamed of marrying Ser Loras, but that was a childish dream and it was a dream that Alayne no longer wished for.

As Alayne continued her reading she took note of how swiftly Queen Margery and King Tommen have been working to keep the peace in the realm, but that was a lie, it was more like Margery who was doing all the work while Tommen played with swords and cute animals.

Margery was a true queen. She was beautiful, lovely, and kind she would be a better queen than Cersei and the realm deserves her.

Good news was met with bad news however as Alayne went on to read about another invasion taking part in the Stromland's. The rumors behind who was invading were scarce and hard believe, from what Alayne was reading it appeared that either Iron Born are either invading the Storm Lands so they may take Kings' Landing or the infamous Golden Company were invading the Stromland's hoping to take the realm unawares. That part of the letter made little since to Alayne.

But as Alayne reached the end of the letter she could feel her heart sink deep into her chest. The last portion of the letter spoke of King Stannis and marriage of Ramsey Bolton to Arya Starkretreat from the Wall and his plans to invade Winterfell. Apparently, the New Lord Commander of the Night's Watch broke his vows and was mustering an army for Stannis by letting Wildlings invade the north. For his actions he was put to death by the Night's Watch, while King Stannis marches south to take Winterfell. Alayne knew Stannis to be a tenacious warrior and she knew he would advance on Winterfell and and retake her father's castle for himself.

The worst of the blows came when Alayne read that the North was celebrating the marriage between Lord Roose Boltons eldest son and the last living heir of Winterfell, Arya Stark. Alayne was disbelief, her half brother was a dead and her younger sister lives, but how is that possible.

Alayne asked herself that question over and over again until Lord Baelish entered the room and saw his daughter was holding the letter. He did not appear angry or upset; his face remained empty of emotion as he walked across the room and took the letter from Alayne's hand.

"I see, this is indeed troubling news" Lord Baelish said as he put his hand on Alayne's back and began to comfort the poor child.

"My sweet, I am so sorry that you had to read this. Had I known your sister yet lived I would have saved her too" Petyr said as knelt down beside Alayne and gave her the most gentle of hugs.

"Father," Alayne had to clear her voice "what do you plan to do about this?" Alayne asked as her thoughts rushed back to Arya, her mischievous little sister.

"Nothing, there is nothing to be done" Petyr said as he rose and skimmed the letter over again.

"What do you mean? How can you do nothing while my sister is imprisoned in our own home?" Alayne begged for answer as she rose to her feet and stood before her father.

"I said nothing because there is nothing to do. This _Arya Stark_ is fraud conjured up by the Cersei and Lannister more like and now they are planning to use her to keep the north under their control" Petyr said as he looked over the letter a third time and he too began to laugh.

"She always was the fool" he muttered.

"But Arya is alive; no one could simply replace her. My father's lords would obviously recognize this girl to be an imposter" Alayne said as she stood behind her father.

"Would they?" Petyr asked.

"As I seem to recall Arya was young and horse face. A lot of younger woman in the capital share that trait but there is more to looks than meets the eye. During the war many of your father's banner men were capture, old friends of Ned Stark and his family" Petry began to roll up the parchment and slowly turned to Alayne.

"All of those who were imprisoned do not sit at Winterfell's tables and all of those lords were more likely replaced by Lannister dogs and traitors. Men who know nothing of your family or simply don't care too" Petyr explained. Alayne could feel despair wrestling in her heart. It seemed so unfair. For half a heartbeat she believed but now she was alone again.

No one could ever find Arya in King's Landing, not even the Spider, but even then Alayne had always hoped Arya was alive. Living somewhere in Flee bottom or somewhere safe where no one could ever hurt her like Joffery did to her.

"My sweet, I am so sorry" Petyr slowly wrapped his arms around Alayne and gave her another hug but he also included a kiss. Alayne was taken back by the action but she was not deeply surprised by it. For as long as Alayne remained with Petyr he would occasinly sneak in a kiss, they were always random and remained unwanted.

Alayne could not fight Petyr though and she simple allowed him to kiss her. When he was finally finished he lifted Alayne's chin up so she could look at him directly in the eye.

"My sweet, I promised you Winterfell and you shall have it. It will take time but soon you shall have everything you ever wanted" Petyr smiled again and Alayne could not bring herself to believe him. This man would do anything to achieve his goals; he proved it by murdering so many people and Alayne knew he would do the same to poor Robert. Alayne felt sick all of a sudden and had to sit down.

"Do not worry yourself my sweet. I do have other news that may please you" Petyr said as Alayne looked up at her father, her face free of emotion.

"A quest has arrive and he awaits your arrival" Alayne was curious as to who could be waiting for her, but the poor girl had no will to move or speak. She wished to be alone.

"Perhaps I could meet him tomorrow father. I feel ill" Alayne said as she rose to her feet. Petyr looked as if he were going to say something but his face soften "As you wish my sweetling, go rest and he shall see you in the morning" Petyr as Alayne curtsy to her father and began to walk towards door.

Petyr suddenly called out Alayne's name and made the young girl turn around and face him.

"My dear were there any other letters?" Petyr asked.

"Yes, it is by your ink and quill. Goodnight father" Alayne said as she finally left the room.

It felt as if Alayne had walked for hours but she only walked for a few minutes, but rather than going to her bedroom she made her way to Robert's room. There were guards standing at his door and she entered she could see that the poor boy was alone in the dark. He was fast asleep and as Alayne moved closer to him she took note of the color returning to his face.

Robert was a spoiled and very rude cild. Lysa had spoiled him to the core until there was nothing left, but the child was still young and there was till hope for him. Alayne placed her hand by the boy's cheek and smiled.

Robert was the last of her family. They were not siblings but they were cousins and they did share a grandfather and that was enough for Alayne to acknowledge the boy was her blood. Neither of them had family anymore. Robert parents are dead as are Alayne's. The poor boy was an only child and Alayne had finally lost the last of her siblings.

'There is nothing left besides each other' Alayne told herself as she stroked the poor boy's cheek.

"I will never be your mother or wife Robert, but I will be your sister and I swear to be a better sister to you than I ever was to my own" Alayne said as she leaned in and kissed the boy's forehead and for a moment Alayne could have sworn she saw a smile on Robert's face.


End file.
